title: Strength and size ratios between reciprocal muscle groups in the thigh and lower leg of male collegiate soccer players.
abstract: This study investigated the strength and size ratios between reciprocal muscle groups in the thigh and lower leg of soccer players. In 11 male collegiate soccer players and 21 male non-soccer players, the joint torques developed during isometric maximal voluntary contractions of the knee extensors (TQ(KE)) and flexors (TQ(KF)), plantar flexors (TQ(PF)) and dorsiflexors (TQ(DF)) were determined using a dynamometer. The muscle volumes of the same muscles (i.e. MV(KE), MV(KF), MV(PF) and MV(DF)) were determined by magnetic resonance imaging. There were no significant differences in any of the joint torques or muscle volumes between soccer and non-soccer players. TQ(KE)/TQ(KF) was significantly lower for soccer players than for non-soccer players. On the other hand, no significant difference in TQ(PF)/TQ(DF) was found between soccer and non-soccer players. MV(KE)/MV(KF) and MV(PF)/MV(DF) for soccer players were not significantly different from those for non-soccer players. Additionally, there were no significant correlations between MV(KE)/MV(KF) and TQ(KE)/TQ(KF) and between MV(PF)/MV(DF) and TQ(PF)/TQ(DF) of soccer players. Thus, the strength ratios appear not to be affected by the size ratios between the knee extensors and flexors and between the plantar flexors and dorsiflexors in soccer players.
authors.affiliation: College of Systems Engineering and Science, Shibaura Institute of Technology, Saitama-shi, Saitama, Japan; Department of Sports Sciences, Japan Institute of Sports Sciences, Kita-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Ryota
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Akagi
authors.forename: Yukihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tohdoh
authors.forename: Hideyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takahashi
mesh_terms: D056352:Athletes; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006621:Hip Joint / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007537:Isometric Contraction; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000502:physiology; D035002:Lower Extremity; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D053580:Muscle Strength; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D009929:Organ Size; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D012916:Soccer; D013334:Students; D019415:Torque; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: dorsiflexors; joint torque; knee extensors; knee flexors; muscle volume; plantar flexors