title: Discriminant musculo-skeletal leg characteristics between sprint and endurance elite Caucasian runners.
abstract: Excellence in either sprinting or endurance running requires specific musculo-skeletal characteristics of the legs. This study aims to investigate the morphology of the leg of sprinters and endurance runners of Caucasian ethnicity. Eight male sprinters and 11 male endurance runners volunteered to participate in this cross-sectional study. They underwent magnetic resonance imaging and after data collection, digital reconstruction was done to calculate muscle volumes and bone lengths. Sprinters have a higher total upper leg volume compared to endurance runners (7340 vs 6265 cm3). Specifically, the rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, and hamstrings showed significantly higher muscle volumes in the sprint group. For the lower leg, only a higher muscle volume was found in the gastrocnemius lateralis for the sprinters. No differences were found in muscle volume distribution, center of mass in the different muscles, or relative bone lengths. There was a significant positive correlation between ratio hamstrings/quadriceps volume and best running performance in the sprint group. Sprinters and endurance runners of Caucasian ethnicity showed the greatest distinctions in muscle volumes, rather than in muscle distributions or skeletal measures. Sprinters show higher volumes in mainly the proximal and lateral leg muscles than endurance runners.
authors: Department of Movement and Sports Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Bex
authors: Ibitech-bioMMeda, Department of Electronics and Information Systems, iMinds Future Health Department, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.|Department of Biomedical Engineering, Thoraxcenter, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Iannaccone
authors: Department of Movement and Sports Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Stautemas
authors: Department of Movement and Sports Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Baguet
authors: Ibitech-bioMMeda, Department of Electronics and Information Systems, iMinds Future Health Department, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.|FEops bvba, Ghent, Belgium.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: De Beule
authors: Ibitech-bioMMeda, Department of Electronics and Information Systems, iMinds Future Health Department, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.|FEops bvba, Ghent, Belgium.
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Verhegghe
authors: Department of Movement and Sports Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.|Department of Biology, Laboratory for Functional Morphology, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Aerts
authors: Department of Movement and Sports Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
authors: D
authors: D
authors: De Clercq
authors: Department of Movement and Sports Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
authors: W
authors: W
authors: Derave
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D056352:Athletes; D002336:Carnosine / Q000378:metabolism; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D000070633:Hamstring Muscles / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D007866:Leg / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D010807:Physical Endurance; D066244:Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D052097:Quadriceps Muscle / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism; D012420:Running; D044465:White People; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002336:Carnosine
keywords: Running; morphological properties; performance