Correlation analysis between lower limb muscle architectures and cycling power via ultrasonography

Abstract

The primary purpose was to examine the relationship between the muscle architectural characteristics of short and long-distance cyclist—including muscle thickness, fascicle angle, and fascicle length—of the anterior thigh and posterior leg and its impact in 20-s cycling power. The secondary purpose was to clarify the muscle variables that predict the cycling power by using ultrasonography to measure the muscle architectural characteristics. Twenty-four varsity cyclists participated in this study, of whom 12 were short-distance cyclists and 12 were long-distance cyclists. B-mode ultrasonography was used to measure muscle architecture parameters. A cycle ergometer was used to measure the cycling power. The rectus femoris, vastus medialis, and medial head of gastrocnemius were significantly thicker in short-distance cyclists than in long-distance cyclists at every site (p < 0.05). Our analysis revealed that the rectus femoris fascicle length at the 30% level of the thigh was a significant independent predictor of the 20-s cycling power in short-distance cyclists, while the rectus femoris fascicle angle at the 50% level was that of the 20-s cycling power in long-distance cyclists. These findings highlight the significance of rectus femoris muscle architecture to cycling power.

Gastrocnemius Muscle Architecture in Elite Basketballers and Cyclists: A Cross-Sectional Cohort Study

“…Although it is possible that the intermittent nature of basketball might explain the similarity in FL between basketballers and sprinters, FL in the male endurance cyclists was not different from the basketballers in this study. Furthermore, the mean FL of the GM of the male athletes was more closely matched to male endurance runners (GM: 53.6 ± 7.2 mm) (Abe et al, 2000 ), endurance cyclists (GM: 56.2 ± 7.7 mm), and sprint cyclists (GM: 57.2 ± 11.5 mm) (Lee et al, 2021 ) compared to male sprinters (GM: 66.4 ± 13.2 mm) (Abe et al, 2000 ). The lack of consistency in the differences between cycling and basketball athletes in FL and FL/TL across genders suggests that different muscle activation modes in select sports are unlikely to systematically influence FL.…”

“…In males, no significant differences were identified in FL or FL/TL of GM and GL between cyclists and basketballers. Lee et al (Lee et al, 2021 ) explored architectural differences between sprint cyclists and endurance cyclists and found no significant differences in FL for both GM and GL. For GL, the mean FLs of the male athletes in this study were more closely matched to male sprinters from previous studies (GL: 80.4 ± 14.7 mm) than male endurance cyclists (GL: 54.7 ± 11.8 mm), male sprint cyclists (GL: 54.5 ± 19.1 mm) and male endurance runners (GL: 62.3 ± 10.7 mm) of a similar age (Abe et al, 2000 ; Lee et al, 2021 ).…”

“…Lee et al (Lee et al, 2021 ) explored architectural differences between sprint cyclists and endurance cyclists and found no significant differences in FL for both GM and GL. For GL, the mean FLs of the male athletes in this study were more closely matched to male sprinters from previous studies (GL: 80.4 ± 14.7 mm) than male endurance cyclists (GL: 54.7 ± 11.8 mm), male sprint cyclists (GL: 54.5 ± 19.1 mm) and male endurance runners (GL: 62.3 ± 10.7 mm) of a similar age (Abe et al, 2000 ; Lee et al, 2021 ). Although it is possible that the intermittent nature of basketball might explain the similarity in FL between basketballers and sprinters, FL in the male endurance cyclists was not different from the basketballers in this study.…”

“…Past studies have reported significant links between muscle thickness and muscle strength (Abe et al, 2001 ), with longitudinal studies supporting increased muscle thickness correlating to greater power output as seen in the anterior thigh and gastrocnemius muscles of sprinters (Abe et al, 2000 ). Specific to the gastrocnemius, Lee et al (Lee et al, 2021 ) reported that GM muscle thickness was significantly greater in male sprint cyclists (GM: 20.9 ± 4.1 mm) compared to endurance cyclists (GM: 15.9 ± 3.2 mm) and that this was correlated to cycling power over 20 s. The study of Abe et al (Abe et al, 2000 ) found GM thickness of male sprinters (GM: 23.9 ± 3.4 mm), was significantly greater than endurance runners (GM: 21 ± 2.4 mm). In basketball games where physical demands are intermittent and high intensity, ~10% of movements are short sprints up to 20 m (McInnes et al, 1995 ).…”

“…This position was confirmed with a manual goniometer and a position within the range of 85 • to 95 • was accepted. The sonographer identified the probe site at one-third of the distance from the popliteal crease of the knee to the tip of the medial malleolus for the GM, and the lateral malleolus for the GL (Koryak, 1985;Kawakami et al, 1998;Kurokawa et al, 2001;Legerlotz et al, 2010;Raj et al, 2012a;Cho et al, 2014;Konig et al, 2014). The transducer probe was positioned perpendicular to the long axis of the leg, at the midpoint of the GL and GM muscle bellies, found at the center of each muscle halfway between its medial and lateral borders (Koryak, 1985;Kawakami et al, 1998;Kurokawa et al, 2001;Legerlotz et al, 2010;Raj et al, 2012a;Cho et al, 2014;Konig et al, 2014).…”