title: Skeletal muscle fiber type, fiber size, and capillary supply in elite soccer players.
abstract: This study determined the fiber type composition, the fiber size, and the capillary characteristics of the vastus lateralis muscle in 11 young, elite, male soccer players and 8 sedentary male, age-matched controls. There were no significant differences (P less than 0.05) in the fiber type percentages and fiber diameter between the soccer players and controls; however, all fiber types tended to be larger in the soccer players. The soccer players possessed a greater capillary supply; this was characterized by a significantly greater mean number of capillaries surrounding each fiber (5.7 +/- 0.9 vs. 4.9 +/- 0.4), a significantly larger capillary density (282.7 +/- 42.0 vs. 220.8 +/- 38.1), and a significantly higher capillary to fiber ratio (2.2 +/- 0.6 vs 1.7 +/- 0.1). The results indicate that soccer may be an appropriate stimulus for simultaneous adaptation to endurance and high intensity exercise.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: W M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Kuzon
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Rosenblatt
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Huebel
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Leatt
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Plyley
authors.forename: N H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: McKee
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Jacobs
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D002196:Capillaries / Q000166:cytology; D015444:Exercise; D006801:Humans; D006984:Hypertrophy; D008297:Male; D009132:Muscles / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology; D010807:Physical Endurance; D012916:Soccer