Rethinking the Statistical Analysis of Neuromechanical Data

Wilkinson, Ross D.; Mazzo, Melissa R.; Feeney, Daniel

doi:10.1249/jes.0000000000000308

Cited by 20 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…We assessed all outcomes of the 200 m trials at self-perceived 800 m race pace and spatiotemporal variables at long distance pace with a linear-mixed effect model (LMEM). 37 The LMEM had spike condition and sex as fixed effects, participant as a random intercept and speed and spatiotemporal variables as the output variables. Additionally, we used LMEM for all outcome variables of the 3,000 m time trials (speed, stride frequency and contact time) and RE trials with spike condition as fixed effects and participant as a random intercept.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of advanced footwear technology spikes on middle- and long-distance running performance measures in trained runners

Rodrigo-Carranza,

Muñoz de la Cruz,

Hoogkamer

2024

Preprint

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PurposeThe aim of this study was to examine the influence of different spikes technologies on running economy and middle- and long-distance performance in trained runners.MethodsFourteen trained female and sixteen trained male runners participated in this study. Females performed a single visit with six 200 m trials at self-perceived 800 m race pace in three different spike conditions (Control, PEBA and PEBA+Plate) twice in a mirrored order, and three 800 m trials at 4.44 m/s in each spike condition. Males completed four visits. During the first three visits they performed six 200 m trials at self-perceived 800 m race pace in each spike condition. Subsequently, they performed a 3,000 m time trial in one of the three spike conditions. During visit four, participants completed six 4-minute running economy trials at 5 m/s, twice in each condition.ResultsThe main effect for spike condition was significant for speed at 800 m pace (p<0.001) in females and males, for speed during the 3,000 m time trial (p=0.013) in males and for running economy at 5 m/s, (p<0.001) in males.ConclusionAt 800 m race pace females ran faster in PEBA (2.1%) and PEBA+Plate (2.0%) compared to Control. Males ran faster in PEBA (1.2%) and PEBA+Plate (2.8%) compared to Control and in PEBA+Plate than in PEBA (1.5%). Similarly, males ran the 3,000 m time trial faster in PEBA (1.0%) and PEBA+Plate (2.4%) than in Control. Running economy at 5 m/s was better in PEBA (5.1%) and PEBA+Plate (4.0%) than in Control.Key pointsAdvanced Spikes Technology (PEBA and PEBA+Plate) improved middle and long-distance running performance measures compared to traditional spikes.PEBA (2.1%; 1.2%) and PEBA+Plate (2.0%; 2.7%) spikes improved average self-perceived 800 m race pace speed in females and males, respectively, compared to control spikes.In the 3,000 m time trials, males improved their speed by 1.0% when they used the PEBA spikes while they improved by 2.4% when they used the PEBA+Plate spikes.At 5 m/s running economy improved by 5.1% and 4.0% when using the PEBA and PEBA+Plate spikes compared to the control spikes.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of advanced footwear technology spikes on middle- and long-distance running performance measures in trained runners

Rodrigo-Carranza,

Muñoz de la Cruz,

Hoogkamer

2024

Preprint

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“…Finally, many of the prior studies pooled the identified MU discharges, violating the principle of co-dependence of observations (Tenan et al ., 2014). Conversely, we used linear mixed statistical modelling, accounting for nesting of observations within individual participant (Yu et al ., 2022; Wilkinson et al ., 2023). Finally, in most of the studies showing a progressive decrease in MU discharge rate to task failure, an intrinsic hand muscle was used (Carpentier et al ., 2001; McManus et al ., 2016).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Motor unit discharge rate modulation during isometric contractions to failure is intensity and task dependent

Valenčič,

Ansdell,

Brownstein

et al. 2023

Preprint

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The nature of neuromuscular decrements associated with contractions to task failure is known to dependent on task demands. Task-specificity of the associated adjustments in motor unit discharge rate (MUDR) behaviour, however, remains unclear. This study examined MUDR adjustments during different submaximal isometric knee-extension tasks to failure. Participants performed a sustained and an intermittent task at 20 and 50% of maximal voluntary torque (MVT), respectively (Experiment 1). High-density surface electromyography signals were recorded from vastus lateralis (VL) and medialis (VM) and decomposed into individual MU discharge timings, with the identified MUs tracked from recruitment to task failure. MUDR was quantified and normalised to intervals of 10% of contraction time (CT). MUDR of both muscles exhibited distinct modulation patterns in each task. During 20% MVT sustained task, MUDR decreased until ∼50% CT, after which it gradually returned to baseline. Conversely, during the 50% MVT intermittent task, MUDR remained stable until ∼40-50% CT, after which it started to continually increase until task failure. To explore the effect of contraction intensity on the observed patterns, VL and VM MUDR was quantified during sustained contractions at 30 and 50% MVT (Experiment 2). During the 30% MVT sustained task, MUDR remained stable until ∼80-90% CT in both muscles, after which it continually increased until task failure. During the 50% MVT sustained task the increase in MUDR occurred earlier, after ∼70-80% CT. Our results suggest that adjustments in MUDR during submaximal isometric contractions to failure are task- and intensity-dependent.

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“…Relations between correlation values of motor units, modes and each protocol were measured using single‐factor (one‐way) ANOVA with Tukey post hoc corrections. We considered analysing the data with linear mixed‐effects models, which offers a method for clustering replicate data by intervention and participant (Wilkinson et al, 2023). However, we opted for ANOVAs to accommodate different sample sizes for each participant and intervention, as well as the fact that motor units were not explicitly tracked across tasks.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Motor unit modes in the calf muscles during a submaximal isometric contraction are changed by brief stretches

Weinman,

Del Vecchio,

Mazzo

et al. 2024

The Journal of Physiology

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The purpose of our study was to investigate the influence of a stretch intervention on the common modulation of discharge rate among motor units in the calf muscles during a submaximal isometric contraction. The current report comprises a computational analysis of a motor unit dataset that we published previously (Mazzo et al., 2021). Motor unit activity was recorded from the three main plantar flexor muscles while participants performed an isometric contraction at 10% of the maximal voluntary contraction force before and after each of two interventions. The interventions were a control task (standing balance) and static stretching of the plantar flexor muscles. A factorization analysis on the smoothed discharge rates of the motor units from all three muscles yielded three modes that were independent of the individual muscles. The composition of the modes was not changed by the standing‐balance task, whereas the stretching exercise reduced the average correlation in the second mode and increased it in the third mode. A centroid analysis on the correlation values showed that most motor units were associated with two or three modes, which were presumed to indicate shared synaptic inputs. The percentage of motor units adjacent to the seven centroids changed after both interventions: Control intervention, mode 1 decreased and the shared mode 1 + 2 increased; stretch intervention, shared modes either decreased (1 + 2) or increased (1 + 3). These findings indicate that the neuromuscular adjustments during both interventions were sufficient to change the motor unit modes when the same task was performed after each intervention. imageKey points Based on covariation of the discharge rates of motor units in the calf muscles during a submaximal isometric contraction, factor analysis was used to assign the correlated discharge trains to three motor unit modes. The motor unit modes were determined from the combined set of all identified motor units across the three muscles before and after each participant performed a control and a stretch intervention. The composition of the motor unit modes changed after the stretching exercise, but not after the control task (standing balance). A centroid analysis on the distribution of correlation values found that most motor units were associated with a shared centroid and this distribution, presumably reflecting shared synaptic input, changed after both interventions. Our results demonstrate how the distribution of multiple common synaptic inputs to the motor neurons innervating the plantar flexor muscles changes after a brief series of stretches.

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Rethinking the Statistical Analysis of Neuromechanical Data

Abstract: Mixed-effects models will improve data representation, promote superior experimental designs, and increase the validity and reproducibility of research findings.

Cited by 20 publications

References 31 publications

Influence of advanced footwear technology spikes on middle- and long-distance running performance measures in trained runners

Influence of advanced footwear technology spikes on middle- and long-distance running performance measures in trained runners

Motor unit discharge rate modulation during isometric contractions to failure is intensity and task dependent

Motor unit modes in the calf muscles during a submaximal isometric contraction are changed by brief stretches

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