Characteristics of Pedaling Muscle Stiffness among Cyclists of Different Performance Levels
<i>Background and Objectives:</i> The aim of the present study was to compare the impact of an incremental exercise test on muscle stiffness in the rectus femoris (RF), vastus lateralis (VL), biceps femoris (BF), and gastrocnemius (GL) among road cyclists of three performance levels. <...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-06-01
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| Series: | Medicina |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/57/6/606 |
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| author | Isaac López-Laval Rafel Cirer-Sastre Francisco Corbi Sebastian Sitko |
| author_facet | Isaac López-Laval Rafel Cirer-Sastre Francisco Corbi Sebastian Sitko |
| author_sort | Isaac López-Laval |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <i>Background and Objectives:</i> The aim of the present study was to compare the impact of an incremental exercise test on muscle stiffness in the rectus femoris (RF), vastus lateralis (VL), biceps femoris (BF), and gastrocnemius (GL) among road cyclists of three performance levels. <i>Materials and Methods:</i> The study group consisted of 35 cyclists grouped according to their performance level; elite (<i>n</i> = 10; professional license), sub-elite (<i>n</i> = 12; amateur license), and recreational (<i>n</i> = 13; cyclosportive license). Passive muscle stiffness was assessed using myometry before and after an incremental exercise test. <i>Results</i>: There was a significant correlation between time and category in the vastus lateralis with stiffness increases in the sub-elite (<i>p</i> = 0.001, Cohen’s <i>d</i> = 0.88) and elite groups (<i>p</i> = 0.003, Cohen’s <i>d</i> = 0.72), but not in the recreational group (<i>p</i> = 0.085). Stiffness increased over time in the knee extensors (RF, <i>p</i> < 0.001; VL, <i>p</i> < 0.001), but no changes were observed in the knee flexors (GL, <i>p</i> = 0.63, BF, <i>p</i> = 0.052). There were no baseline differences among the categories in any muscle. <i>Conclusions</i>: Although the performance level affected VL stiffness after an incremental exercise test, no differences in passive stiffness were observed among the main muscles implicated in pedaling in a resting state. Future research should assess whether this marker could be used to differentiate cyclists of varying fitness levels and its potential applicability for the monitoring of training load. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T10:29:18Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7050567f4ea445f08d267acc6ad589a3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1010-660X 1648-9144 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T10:29:18Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Medicina |
| spelling | doaj.art-7050567f4ea445f08d267acc6ad589a32023-11-21T23:45:52ZengMDPI AGMedicina1010-660X1648-91442021-06-0157660610.3390/medicina57060606Characteristics of Pedaling Muscle Stiffness among Cyclists of Different Performance LevelsIsaac López-Laval0Rafel Cirer-Sastre1Francisco Corbi2Sebastian Sitko3Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences (FCSD), University of Zaragoza, 22002 Huesca, SpainInstitut Nacional d’Educació Física de Catalunya (INEFC), Universitat de Lleida (UdL), 25192 Lleida, SpainInstitut Nacional d’Educació Física de Catalunya (INEFC), Universitat de Lleida (UdL), 25192 Lleida, SpainFaculty of Health and Sport Sciences (FCSD), University of Zaragoza, 22002 Huesca, Spain<i>Background and Objectives:</i> The aim of the present study was to compare the impact of an incremental exercise test on muscle stiffness in the rectus femoris (RF), vastus lateralis (VL), biceps femoris (BF), and gastrocnemius (GL) among road cyclists of three performance levels. <i>Materials and Methods:</i> The study group consisted of 35 cyclists grouped according to their performance level; elite (<i>n</i> = 10; professional license), sub-elite (<i>n</i> = 12; amateur license), and recreational (<i>n</i> = 13; cyclosportive license). Passive muscle stiffness was assessed using myometry before and after an incremental exercise test. <i>Results</i>: There was a significant correlation between time and category in the vastus lateralis with stiffness increases in the sub-elite (<i>p</i> = 0.001, Cohen’s <i>d</i> = 0.88) and elite groups (<i>p</i> = 0.003, Cohen’s <i>d</i> = 0.72), but not in the recreational group (<i>p</i> = 0.085). Stiffness increased over time in the knee extensors (RF, <i>p</i> < 0.001; VL, <i>p</i> < 0.001), but no changes were observed in the knee flexors (GL, <i>p</i> = 0.63, BF, <i>p</i> = 0.052). There were no baseline differences among the categories in any muscle. <i>Conclusions</i>: Although the performance level affected VL stiffness after an incremental exercise test, no differences in passive stiffness were observed among the main muscles implicated in pedaling in a resting state. Future research should assess whether this marker could be used to differentiate cyclists of varying fitness levels and its potential applicability for the monitoring of training load.https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/57/6/606cyclistmyometrystiffnessincremental cycling test |
| spellingShingle | Isaac López-Laval Rafel Cirer-Sastre Francisco Corbi Sebastian Sitko Characteristics of Pedaling Muscle Stiffness among Cyclists of Different Performance Levels Medicina cyclist myometry stiffness incremental cycling test |
| title | Characteristics of Pedaling Muscle Stiffness among Cyclists of Different Performance Levels |
| title_full | Characteristics of Pedaling Muscle Stiffness among Cyclists of Different Performance Levels |
| title_fullStr | Characteristics of Pedaling Muscle Stiffness among Cyclists of Different Performance Levels |
| title_full_unstemmed | Characteristics of Pedaling Muscle Stiffness among Cyclists of Different Performance Levels |
| title_short | Characteristics of Pedaling Muscle Stiffness among Cyclists of Different Performance Levels |
| title_sort | characteristics of pedaling muscle stiffness among cyclists of different performance levels |
| topic | cyclist myometry stiffness incremental cycling test |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/57/6/606 |
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