Article
Physiology
Kosuke Hirata, Mari Ito, Yuta Nomura, Tsukasa Yoshida, Yosuke Yamada, Ryota Akagi
Summary: Maintenance and improvement of neuromuscular functions is crucial for everyone. Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) can assess body electrical properties, such as phase angle (PhA), which is regarded as a muscle quantity/quality index. This study found that both thigh and whole-body PhA were associated with maximal voluntary muscle strength of the knee extensors, and this association may be due to intrinsic contractile properties but not neural aspects.
FRONTIERS IN PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Chang-ok Cho, Jin-Hyoung Jeong, Yun-jeong Kim, Jee Hun Jang, Sang-Sik Lee, Ki-young Lee
Summary: The study assessed the potential of predicting endurance time using logarithmic parameters compared to raw data. Significant correlations were found between log(T-end) and the linear regressive slopes in the logarithmic H/L-SM, suggesting that logarithmic parameters can be used as a better predictor of T-end.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2021)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Kazuki Fujita, Yasutaka Kobayashi, Masahito Hitosugi
Summary: This study found that the muscle activity during extended walking varies in different sides, muscle types, and gait phases for stroke patients. However, walking performance remains stable despite neuromuscular fatigue.
Article
Sport Sciences
Cassio Ruas, Christopher Latella, Janet L. Taylor, G. Gregory Haff, Kazunori Nosaka
Summary: This study aimed to investigate whether the changes in maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) strength 1 to 3 days after unaccustomed eccentric exercise (ECC) were correlated with changes in central and peripheral neuromuscular parameters immediately post-ECC. The results indicated that the changes in rate of force development (RFD) and motor-evoked potentials (MEP)/maximal M-wave (M-MAX) immediately post-ECC were associated with the magnitude of decrease in MVIC strength at 1 to 3 days post-ECC. However, these markers were not sensitive for the practical detection of muscle damage based on individual data.
MEDICINE & SCIENCE IN SPORTS & EXERCISE
(2022)
Article
Physiology
Gokhan Yagiz, Nami Shida, Hironobu Kuruma, Masahiro Furuta, Koji Morimoto, Mutsuo Yamada, Tatsuji Uchiyama, Hans-Peter Kubis, Julian A. Owen
Summary: This study aimed to compare the hamstring-strain-injury risk factors related to muscle structure and morphology between rugby union players and controls. The results showed that rugby players had longer BFlh fascicle length, higher passive muscle stiffness, and larger muscle volumes compared to nonathletes. These findings may have important implications for predicting hamstring strain injuries.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SPORTS PHYSIOLOGY AND PERFORMANCE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Zixi Gu, Shengxu Liu, Sarah Cosentino, Atsuo Takanishi
Summary: To provide people with more specific information about the quality of their daily motion, researchers have proposed a method using non-contact wearable sensors to estimate leg muscle activity. The optimized algorithm shows relatively high estimation accuracy and an acceptable delay for daily walking requirements.
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Ryota Akagi, Yuta Nomura, Chiho Kawashima, Mari Ito, Kosuke Oba, Yuma Tsuchiya, Geoffrey A. Power, Kosuke Hirata
Summary: This study investigated the association between exercise-induced fatigue resistance and prefatigue neuromuscular strength, finding a negative correlation between prefatigue maximal power output and neuromuscular fatigue resistance.
JOURNAL OF AGING AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tae-Whan Kim, Jin-seok Lee, Iseul Jo
Summary: The purpose of this study was to investigate the reaction time and muscle activity and compare the movement among genders during Marche-fente. The results showed that male athletes had faster reaction times compared to female athletes. Additionally, women tended to activate knee flexors instead of knee extensors when moving the center of mass or generating a greater force. Therefore, exercises that activate knee extensors are required for females.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Physiology
Andrea Monte, Martino V. Franchi
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the role of regional characteristics of the knee extensors muscles in determining maximum-voluntary force (MVF) and to understand which regional parameter of muscle structure would best predict MVF. Muscle architecture, volume, anatomical and physiological cross-sectional area were measured in different portions of the muscles. It was found that the middle portion of each muscle was largely correlated with MVF and the muscle volume in the middle portions of VL and RF were strong determinants of MVF produced by the knee extensors at 90 degrees joint angle.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ligia Rusu, Aurora Ungureanu Dobre, Alexandru Gabriel Chivaran, Mihnea Ion Marin
Summary: Sleep quality has an impact on physical performance in sports such as football. This study analyzed the sleep quality and muscle force parameters of 18 junior women footballers and found that there is no significant correlation between sleep quality and muscle force.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Rui Wu, Giuseppe M. De Vito, Madeleine M. Lowery, Ben O'Callaghan, Massimiliano Ditroilo
Summary: This study examined the effects of a dynamic knee extension and flexion fatigue task on torque and neuro-muscular responses in young and older individuals. The findings showed that age-related fatigue was more prominent in knee extensors, with a greater decline in knee extensor torque compared to knee flexor torque in older individuals.
JOURNAL OF ELECTROMYOGRAPHY AND KINESIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Yasuyoshi Mogi, Taku Wakahara
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the effects of growth on the muscle architecture of knee extensors. The results showed that muscle thickness increased significantly with the maturity index, and this relationship was consistent across different regions and muscles. The fascicle length and pennation angle of rectus femoris were closely correlated with muscle thickness, with the correlation between muscle thickness and fascicle length being stronger in the proximal region.
JOURNAL OF ANATOMY
(2022)
Article
Physiology
Paul W. Marshall, Thomas Forward, Roger M. Enoka
Summary: The study compared the fatigability and recovery of knee extensor muscles after high- and low-load resistance exercises, showing differences in muscle activation and contractility between the two training methods. However, neuromuscular function was essentially fully recovered after 1 hour of rest for both sessions.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Physiology
James L. Nuzzo, David S. Kennedy, Harrison T. Finn, Janet L. Taylor
Summary: The contemporary procedure for assessing voluntary activation of the knee extensor muscles with TMS is invalid, but a modified procedure may improve validity in select individuals meeting rigorous eligibility criteria.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Kristina Marie Kelly, Jordan Mizell, Ladan Bigdeli, Samuel Paul, Marco Antonio Tellez, Amy Bartlett, Sarah Heintzman, Jerold Everett Reynolds, Gary Brent Sterling, Kiran Francis Rajneesh, Stephen James Kolb, Bakri Elsheikh, William David Arnold
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the changes in motor unit action potential (MUAP) amplitude and firing rate in patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and their correlations with strength and function. The results showed that dEMG MUAP amplitudes and firing rates were different between SMA patients and healthy controls. The dEMG parameters were strongly correlated with strength and function. Therefore, dEMG may serve as a promising noninvasive assessment tool for SMA.
ANNALS OF CLINICAL AND TRANSLATIONAL NEUROLOGY
(2023)
Letter
Sport Sciences
Karsten Hollander, Jan Wilke, Astrid Zech
Review
Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism
Astrid Zech, Karsten Hollander, Astrid Junge, Simon Steib, Andreas Groll, Jonas Heiner, Florian Nowak, Daniel Pfeiffer, Anna Lina Rahlf
Summary: A systematic review and meta-analysis comparing injury rates between female and male team-sport players found that male players had higher overall injury rates, while female players had a higher rate of anterior cruciate ligament injuries. No significant sex-specific differences were found for match, training, severe injuries, concussions, or ankle sprains.
JOURNAL OF SPORT AND HEALTH SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Rehabilitation
Andreas Stotz, Ebrahem Maghames, Joel Mason, Andreas Groll, Astrid Zech
Summary: This study highlights the importance of optimal joint angles in isometric strength assessment. Isometric contractions at the strongest joint angles can produce higher muscle torques than eccentric contractions in the lower body.
BMC SPORTS SCIENCE MEDICINE AND REHABILITATION
(2022)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Balram Neupane, Kabita Pradhan, Audrey Magdalena Ortega-Ramirez, Parwez Aidery, Vytautas Kucikas, Matthias Marks, Marc A. M. J. van Zandvoort, Karin Klingel, Klaus K. Witte, Stefan Gruender, Nikolaus Marx, Michael Gramlich
Summary: LMNA mutations play a significant role in DCM, with the LMNA E161K mutation identified as a cause of severe form of DCM. The in vitro model generated for this mutation showed potential for personalized treatment, with oral rapamycin leading to improvements in patient outcomes.
JOURNAL OF PERSONALIZED MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Konstantin Warneke, Lars H. Lohmann, Michael Keiner, Carl-M Wagner, Tobias Schmidt, Klaus Wirth, Astrid Zech, Stephan Schiemann, David Behm
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the effects of long-duration static stretch training on treating muscular imbalances. The results showed significant increases in maximal strength and range of motion after six weeks of daily one-hour static stretching, providing evidence for counteracting muscular imbalances.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Klaus K. Witte, Rolf Wachter, Michele Senni, Jan Belohlavek, Ewa Straburzynska-Migaj, Candida Fonseca, Eva Lonn, Adele Noe, Heike Schwende, Dmytro Butylin, YannTong Chiang, Domingo Pascual-Figal
Summary: The tolerability and dose up-titration patterns of sacubitril/valsartan in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) were comparable between patients with and without diabetes.
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Varun Sundaram, Rosita Zakeri, Klaus K. Witte, Jennifer Kathleen Quint
Summary: This study aimed to develop and validate algorithms for identifying specific HF phenotypes in electronic health records. The results showed that HFrEF patients can be reliably identified in the UK using prescription for HF medication, even without a specific Read code. However, algorithms using non-specific coding could not reliably identify HFpEF patients.
Editorial Material
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Sam Straw, Klaus K. Witte
Article
Physiology
Konstantin Warneke, Astrid Zech, Carl-Maximilian Wagner, Andreas Konrad, Masatoshi Nakamura, Michael Keiner, Brad J. Schoenfeld, David George Behm
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the effects of 6 weeks of daily (1 h) unilateral static stretch training on the plantar flexors. The results showed significant increases in maximal strength, muscle thickness, and range of motion, with male participants showing superior gains.
FRONTIERS IN PHYSIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Sport Sciences
Astrid Junge, Kai Wellmann, Astrid Zech
Summary: This study analyzed the prevalence of symptoms of depression and generalized anxiety disorder in field hockey players of different skill levels and compared it to the general population. The results showed that the prevalence of depression and anxiety symptoms in hockey players was similar to or lower than in the general population. It is recommended to provide routine screening for mental health problems and easy access to treatment for elite athletes.
SCANDINAVIAN JOURNAL OF MEDICINE & SCIENCE IN SPORTS
(2023)
Editorial Material
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Hannah R. Smith, Lee D. Roberts, Klaus K. Witte
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CARDIOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Sport Sciences
Konstantin Warneke, Lars H. Lohmann, Camila D. Lima, Karsten Hollander, Andreas Konrad, Astrid Zech, Masatoshi Nakamura, Klaus Wirth, Michael Keiner, David G. Behm
Summary: Increasing muscle strength and cross-sectional area is crucial for rehabilitation and sports performance. Muscle hypertrophy and strength can be achieved through resistance training, but animal studies suggest that high-volume stretching can also induce mechanical tension and enhance protein synthesis. However, there is a lack of research on the physiological mechanisms in humans, and further studies are needed to explore its practical applicability.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Kinan Kneizeh, Andrea Milzi, Felix Vogt, Klaus Witte, Nikolaus Marx, Michael Lehrke, Mohammad Almalla, Joerg Schroeder
Summary: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of low-dose protamine in reducing access site-related complications during Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) compared to full-dose protamine. The results showed that patients receiving low-dose protamine had a significantly higher rate of death, life-threatening major bleeding, and major vascular complications compared to those receiving full-dose protamine, indicating that a low-dose protamine regimen may not be as effective in preventing bleeding complications in TAVI patients.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Rehabilitation
Stanislav Dimitri Siegel, Joel Mason, Daniel Hamacher, Anna Lina Rahlf, Astrid Zech
Summary: This study investigated the effect of running speed on asymmetries of foot strike pattern (FSP) in soccer players and found that the asymmetry was higher at slower speeds, but increased with increasing speed.
BMC SPORTS SCIENCE MEDICINE AND REHABILITATION
(2023)
Article
Orthopedics
Astrid Zech
Summary: The development of gait and running patterns is influenced by internal and external factors. Cushioned shoes have led to the predominance of rearfoot running, although running barefoot is considered more natural. Habitual footwear use has long-term effects on foot morphology, running biomechanics, and motor skills, and acute changes in footwear can immediately alter kinematics and load parameters. However, there is currently no strong evidence linking habitual footwear use or footstrike patterns to injury prevalence or physical complaints.
