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Duration of fascicle shortening is affected by muscle architecture and sex

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to examine muscle fascicle properties of the gastrocnemius medialis (GM) during contraction and stretch between males and females. During contraction muscle fascicles shorten and pennation angles increase to generate force. Due to the elastic nature of the attached tendon, the fascicles continue to shorten when maximal force is achieved in order to sustain isometric force and this duration of fascicle shortening (DFS) can be observed with ultrasonography. Linear and curved muscle fascicles both display these kinetics; however, it is currently unknown if static stretch prior to a maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) alters the DFS and whether the effect differs between males and females.

Methods

Subjects performed an isometric MVC of the plantar flexors before and after a 2-min maximal dorsi-flexion stretch. Plantar flexor force was measured and ultrasound videography used to record GM and Achilles tendon architecture.

Results

Males were stronger than females (p = 0.004). The DFS was longer for females compared to males (p = 0.001) and the addition of a static stretch increased the DFS for curved (p = 0.002), but not linear, fascicles. Curved fascicles were longer (p = 0.05) with larger pennation angles (p = 0.04) for both males and females when compared to linear fascicles. Tendon excursion was greater (p = 0.05) post-stretch during contraction when compared to pre-stretch.

Conclusions

This study provides evidence that regardless of sex, curved muscle fascicles behave differently than linear fascicles and should be considered separately when muscle architecture is examined.

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Abbreviations

2D:

Two dimensional

3D:

Three dimensional

ANOVA:

Analysis of variance

AT:

Achilles tendon

DFS:

Duration of fascicle shortening

EMG:

Electromyography

GL:

Gastrocnemius lateralis

GM:

Gastrocnemius medialis

Lf1:

Distance from deep aponeurosis to superficial aponeurosis

Lf2:

Calculated length of fascicle

Lf:

Full length

MTJ:

Muscle tendon junction

MTU:

Muscle tendon unit

MVC:

Maximal voluntary contraction

RMS:

Root mean square

sol:

Soleus

TA:

Tibialis anterior

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Acknowledgments

Funding for this study was provided by the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada (Grant No. 312038-2013).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Health and Exercise Sciences, University of British Columbia Okanagan, Kelowna, BC, V1V 1V7, Canada

    C. L. Simpson, S. Arefin, R. R. Smart, B. Harwood & Jennifer M. Jakobi

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  1. C. L. Simpson
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  2. S. Arefin
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  3. R. R. Smart
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  4. B. Harwood
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  5. Jennifer M. Jakobi
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Correspondence to Jennifer M. Jakobi.

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There are no conflicts of interest for any of the authors to declare.

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Communicated by Olivier Seynnes.

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Simpson, C.L., Arefin, S., Smart, R.R. et al. Duration of fascicle shortening is affected by muscle architecture and sex. Eur J Appl Physiol 116, 2237–2245 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-016-3476-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-016-3476-x

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