Correlation between Cycling Power and Muscle Thickness in Cyclists

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the correlation between muscle thickness (MT) and cycling power in varsity cyclists using ultrasonography (US) and to identify any differences in MT between short- and long-distance cyclists. Twelve cyclists participated in this study. Real-time two-dimensional B-mode US was used to measure the MT in the anterior thigh, anterior lower leg, and trunk, especially in the abdominal and lumbar regions. A cycle ergometer was used to measure cycling power parameters such as maximum anaerobic power (over 5 s), mean anaerobic power (over 30 s), and aerobic power (over 3 min). This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Korea National Sports University. There was a significant relationship between the MT and cycling power for the rectus femoris (RF) and vastus lateralis (VL) in the thigh, the rectus abdominis (RA) in the abdominal region, and the erector spinae (ES) in the lower back. The MT values of the RF, VL, and ES were strongly associated with the maximum and mean anaerobic power. There were significant differences between short- and long-distance cyclists in the MT of the RF in the thigh, the RA, the external abdominal oblique, the internal abdominal oblique, and the transverse abdominis muscle in the abdomen. We suggest that training programs attempting to improve cycling performance focus on improving the VL and ES via resistance weight or cycle training and also the core muscles for short-distance cyclists. Clin. Anat. 31:899-906, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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

“…These different architectural characteristics of the muscle are associated with faster sprint performances. Lee et al also demonstrated that the muscles in the anterior thigh and abdominal regions were thicker in short-distance cyclists than in long-distance cyclists 1 . These differences in muscle architecture could be attributed to short-distance cyclists generating larger forces over shorter times and shorter distances compared to long-distance cyclists, and resulted in the 20-s cycling power being higher in short-distance cyclists in the present study.…”

“…Those authors found that the VL and VM muscle thicknesses were significantly correlated with the 5-s and 30-s cycling powers. In addition, the thickness of the VL predicted the 5-s and 30-s cycling powers in a stepwise multiple regression analysis 1 . Ericson reported that that knee extensor contributed 39% of the cycling power 5,21 .…”

“…The impact of the number of sarcomeres in parallel and in series on cross-sectional area and muscle fiber length can affect the cell's force-generating ability 15 . Although muscle architecture is one of the mostreliable and important key parameters in predicting human movement and sports performance 1,5,6,8,9,[12][13][14][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23] (e.g. muscle force generation), previous studies of cyclists have mostly focused on the pedaling technique, the muscular activity during ergometer and uphill cycling in electromyography (EMG), and the knee extension torque 2,8,21,24 .…”

The effects of two different visual feedback exercise tools based on rehabilitative ultrasound imaging in the elderly

“…The muscle is a crucial structure in the human body because it is used in all movements, from simple to detailed movements such as standing, sitting, and walking. Previous studies have shown that muscle thickness is proportional to muscle power [16]. However, as the age increases, the muscle volume decreases, leading to muscle weakening.…”

Correlation Between Muscle Architecture and Anaerobic Power in Athletes Involved in Different Sports

“…The larger the FA, the higher the capacity to pack the contractile material into a certain volume, thus producing strength [14][15][16]. Muscles are classi ed according to their shape, and it is known that the pennate muscle can have more muscle bers per unit area than other kinds of muscle, thereby having the ability to generate large force by providing a larger physiological cross-section [12,17,18]. These muscle development characteristics directly affect the force production and can manifest differently, depending on the sports category [19].…”