Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to statistically compare the rate of torque development normalized by maximal strength (relative RTD) across ankle angles. Additionally, this study was aimed at exploring the correlation coefficients between relative RTD and passive stiffness of the medial gastrocnemius (MG) at different ankle angles.
Methods
Twenty-two healthy men and women (age: 31 ± 4 years) performed randomly-ordered explosive isometric plantar flexions at plantarflexed (15°), neutral (0°), and dorsiflexed (− 15°) angles; relative RTD comprised the slope of the time–torque curve normalized to maximal torque. The shear wave velocity (SWV; index of stiffness) of the MG at rest was measured at each angle using ultrasound shear wave elastography.
Results
The relative RTD was greater at 15° than − 15° for 0–50, 0–100, and 0–150 ms time-windows and at 15° than 0° for the 0–150 ms time-window (P < 0.05), although peak torque was lower at 15° than 0° and − 15° (P < 0.05). The relative RTD for the 0–50 ms time-window correlated with SWV at − 15° (rs = 0.475, P < 0.05), but not at 15º and 0º. Furthermore, the correlation coefficient of RTD for the 0–100 ms time-window with SWV was significantly greater at − 15° (rs = 0.420) than 0 ° (rs = − 0.109).
Conclusions
A greater relative RTD occurs at plantarflexed angles (i.e., the ascending limb of the force–length curve) in the triceps surae, and relative RTD is strongly related to passive MG stiffness at dorsiflexed angles (i.e., longer muscle lengths).
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Data availability
The data that support the findings of this study are available from the author upon reasonable request.
Abbreviations
- CV:
-
Coefficient of variation
- EMD:
-
Electromechanical delay
- EMG:
-
Electromyography
- MG:
-
Medial gastrocnemius
- MVC:
-
Maximal voluntary contraction
- RER:
-
Rate of electromyography rise
- RFD:
-
Rate of force development
- RMS:
-
Root mean square
- ROI:
-
Region of interest
- RTD:
-
Rate of torque development
- SOL:
-
Soleus
- SWV:
-
Shear wave velocity
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Acknowledgements
This study was supported in part by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science KAKENHI grant 18K17813 and 21K17578 to RA.
Funding
Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, 18K17813, Ryosuke Ando, 21K17578, Ryosuke Ando.
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RA conceived and designed research. RA conducted experiments. RA analyzed data. RA wrote the manuscript.
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Communicated by Olivier Seynnes.
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Ando, R. Association of the rate of torque development and joint angle with passive muscle stiffness. Eur J Appl Physiol (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-024-05483-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-024-05483-6