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Effect of muscle length on voluntary activation of the plantar flexors in boys and men

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Abstract

Purpose

The aim of the present study was to compare the effect of muscle length on the maximal voluntary activation level (VA) of the plantar-flexors between children and adults.

Methods

Fourteen boys (10.0 ± 1.0 years) and fifteen men (24.6 ± 4.2 years) performed 5-s maximal isometric voluntary contractions (MVC) of the plantar-flexor muscles at seven ankle angles [from 10° in dorsi-flexion (DF) to 20° in plantar-flexion (PF); 0° = reference position; the angle between the plantar surface and leg is a right angle]. Single magnetic stimulations were delivered to the posterior tibial nerve during MVCs to determine VA.

Results

Results showed a higher absolute torque of the plantar-flexor muscles at long (10° DF) than at short muscle length (20° PF) in men (89.4 ± 19.4 vs. 46.8 ± 17.0 N m, P < 0.001) and boys (44.9 ± 18.5 vs. 26.6 ± 12.8 N m, P < 0.001). On average, VA was significantly higher in men than in boys (92.4 ± 1.7 vs. 87.6 ± 1.6 %, P < 0.05). However, no significant main effect of the ankle angle was observed on VA.

Conclusions

The VA partly accounts for the plantar-flexors MVC torque difference between children and adults but is not affected by the muscle length changes in both groups. Therefore, VA cannot account for the shape of the torque–angle relationship on the plantar-flexor muscles.

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Abbreviations

APHV:

Age from peak height velocity

DF:

Dorsi-flexion

DXA:

Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry

EMG:

Electromyography

GL:

Gastrocnemius lateralis

GM:

Gastrocnemius medialis

MVC:

Maximal voluntary contraction

M-wave:

Compound action potential amplitude

PF:

Plantar-flexion

SOL:

Soleus

TA:

Tibialis anterior

VA:

Voluntary activation

%CoActTA :

Antagonist co-activation of the TA muscle

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Acknowledgments

Virginie Kluka was supported by a grant of the French National Agency of Technological Research (ANRT), No2012/0284. The authors thank Dr. Nils Guéguen for his support along this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Clermont Auvergne University, Blaise Pascal University, EA 3533, Laboratory of Metabolic Adaptations During Exercise in Physiological and Pathological Conditions (AME2P), BP 80026, F-63171, Aubière Cedex, France

    Virginie Kluka, Vincent Martin, Sebastian Garcia Vicencio & Sébastien Ratel

  2. Decathlon Research, Department of Movement Sciences, Villeneuve d’Asq, France

    Virginie Kluka & Cédric Morio

  3. Clermont University Hospital, Clermont-Ferrand, France

    Mathias Giustiniani, Claire Morel & Emmanuel Coudeyre

  4. INRA, Unité de Nutrition Humaine (UNH, UMR 1019), CRNH Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, France

    Emmanuel Coudeyre

  5. Université Clermont Auvergne, Université d’Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, France

    Emmanuel Coudeyre

Authors
  1. Virginie Kluka
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  2. Vincent Martin
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  3. Sebastian Garcia Vicencio
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  4. Mathias Giustiniani
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  5. Claire Morel
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  6. Cédric Morio
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  7. Emmanuel Coudeyre
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  8. Sébastien Ratel
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sébastien Ratel.

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Conflict of interest

The authors report no conflict of interest. A funding from the French National Agency of Technological Research (ANRT: No2012/0284; Virginie Kluka) was received for this project. This work is known to and agreed by the co-authors identified on the manuscript’s title page. This work required more than six people, because of clinical examination (physician or pediatrician), recruitment of volunteers, experimental procedures, statistical analysis and data analysis.

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Communicated by Guido Ferretti.

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Kluka, V., Martin, V., Vicencio, S.G. et al. Effect of muscle length on voluntary activation of the plantar flexors in boys and men. Eur J Appl Physiol 116, 1043–1051 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-016-3362-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-016-3362-6

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