scholarly journals Foot strike pattern during running alters muscle-tendon dynamics of the gastrocnemius and the soleus

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer R. Yong ◽  
Christopher L. Dembia ◽  
Amy Silder ◽  
Rachel W. Jackson ◽  
Michael Fredericson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Energy Storage ◽  
Achilles Tendon ◽  
Muscle Mechanics ◽  
Plantar Flexor ◽  
Flexor Muscle ◽  
Tendon Mechanics ◽  
Foot Strike ◽  
Efficient Gait ◽  
Musculoskeletal Simulations ◽  
Plantar Flexor Muscles

ABSTRACTRunning is thought to be an efficient gait due, in part, to the behavior of the plantar flexor muscles and the elastic energy storage in the Achilles tendon. Although plantar flexor muscle mechanics and Achilles tendon energy storage have been explored during rearfoot striking, they have not been fully characterized during forefoot striking. This study examines how plantar flexor muscle-tendon mechanics during running differ between rearfoot and forefoot striking. We used musculoskeletal simulations, driven by joint angles and electromyography recorded from runners using both rearfoot and forefoot striking running patterns, to characterize plantar flexor muscle-tendon mechanics. The simulations revealed that foot strike pattern affected the soleus and gastrocnemius differently. For the soleus, forefoot striking resulted in decreased tendon energy storage and decreased positive fiber work compared to rearfoot striking. For the gastrocnemius, forefoot striking resulted in greater activation and increased negative fiber work compared to rearfoot striking. The increased activation and negative fiber work in the gastrocnemius during forefoot striking suggest that runners planning to convert to forefoot striking would benefit from a progressive eccentric gastrocnemius strengthening program to avoid injury.

Differences in age-related changes in the plantar flexor muscles and Achilles tendon in men

2006 ◽  
Vol 39 ◽  
pp. S547
Author(s):  
K. Kubo ◽  
M. Morimoto ◽  
T. Komuro ◽  
N. Tsunoda ◽  
H. Kanehisa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Achilles Tendon ◽  
Plantar Flexor ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Flexor Muscles ◽  
Plantar Flexor Muscles ◽  
Age Related Changes

scholarly journals Biomechanical properties of the plantar flexor muscle-tendon complex 6 months post-rupture of the achilles tendon

2013 ◽  
Vol 31 (9) ◽  
pp. 1469-1474 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter McNair ◽  
Antoine Nordez ◽  
Margie Olds ◽  
Simon W. Young ◽  
Christophe Cornu
Keyword(s):  
Achilles Tendon ◽  
Biomechanical Properties ◽  
Plantar Flexor ◽  
Flexor Muscle

scholarly journals Passive stiffness of the ankle and plantar flexor muscle performance after Achilles tendon repair: a cross-sectional study

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pollyana R.T. Borges ◽  
Thiago R.T. Santos ◽  
Paula R.S. Procópio ◽  
Jessica H.D. Chelidonopoulos ◽  
Roberto Zambelli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Achilles Tendon ◽  
Tendon Repair ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Muscle Performance ◽  
Plantar Flexor ◽  
Passive Stiffness ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Flexor Muscle ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Achilles Tendon Repair

The Effect of Functional Home-Based Strength Training Programs on the Mechano-Morphological Properties of the Plantar Flexor Muscle-Tendon Unit in Children With Spastic Cerebral Palsy

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annika Kruse ◽  
Christian Schranz ◽  
Martin Svehlik ◽  
Markus Tilp
Keyword(s):  
Cerebral Palsy ◽  
Strength Training ◽  
Achilles Tendon ◽  
Vastus Lateralis ◽  
Morphological Properties ◽  
Spastic Cerebral Palsy ◽  
Plantar Flexor ◽  
Flexor Muscle ◽  
Gastrocnemius Medialis ◽  
Home Based

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of functional progressive resistance training (PRT) and high-intensity circuit training (HICT) on the mechano-morphological properties of the plantar flexor muscle-tendon unit in children with spastic cerebral palsy. Methods: Twenty-two children (12.8 [2.6] y old, Gross Motor Function Classification System levels I/II = 19/3) were randomly assigned to either a PRT group or an HICT group. The interventions consisted of functional lower limb exercises, which were performed at home 3 times per week for 8 weeks. Measurements at baseline, preintervention, postintervention, and follow-up were taken to assess ankle joint range of motion and the properties of the gastrocnemius medialis, vastus lateralis, rectus femoris, and Achilles tendon (eg, thickness, strength, stiffness). Results: Despite a nonsignificant increase in active torque in the HICT group, neither gastrocnemius medialis morphology nor Achilles tendon properties were significantly altered after the interventions. Vastus lateralis thickness increased following PRT only. Conclusions: Functional home-based strength training did not lead to significant changes at the muscular level in children with cerebral palsy. We therefore assume that a more specific stimulus of higher intensity combined with a longer training duration might be necessary to evoke changes in muscles and tendons in individuals with cerebral palsy.

scholarly journals Running Characteristics of Plantar Flexor Forces Based on Different Foot Strike Patterns in Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome

2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 48-54
Author(s):  
Byungjoo Noh
Keyword(s):  
Traction Force ◽  
Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome ◽  
Plantar Flexor ◽  
Muscle Forces ◽  
Plantar Flexors ◽  
Flexor Muscle ◽  
Camera System ◽  
Barefoot Running ◽  
Stress Syndrome ◽  
Foot Strike

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to compare plantar flexor force due to different foot strike patterns during running in barefoot and shod condition with and without medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS).METHODS Fifteen collegiate soccer players who volunteered to participate were divided into MTSS group and controls. Participants’ running at 3.3 m/s with and without shoes were recorded with a 12-camera system at a sampling frequency of 250 Hz. Each subject completed different foot strike patterns of running as the forefoot strike pattern (FFS) and rearfoot strike pattern (RFS) were collected. Plantar flexor forces were investigated by software for interactive musculoskeletal modeling.RESULTS Normalized plantar flexor forces in barefoot running with the FFS pattern had greater soleus and peroneus brevis muscle forces in the MTSS group than in controls during the first half of stance, although there were no statistically significant differences for other plantar flexor muscle forces between groups and shod running. In plantar flexor forces due to foot strike pattern, the FFS pattern showed higher plantar flexor forces than the RFS pattern.CONCLUSIONS The results of musculoskeletal modeling suggest that subjects with MTSS have greater muscle forces of the plantar flexor during running, especially barefoot running with the FFS pattern. It also suggests increased forces in some plantar flexors generated great traction force by repetitively landing on connective tissues in the deep crural fascia causing inflammation at the posteromedial site of the tibia in MTSS.

scholarly journals Age-related greater Achilles tendon compliance is not associated with larger plantar flexor muscle fascicle strains in senior women

2014 ◽  
Vol 116 (8) ◽  
pp. 961-969 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Csapo ◽  
V. Malis ◽  
J. Hodgson ◽  
S. Sinha
Keyword(s):  
Achilles Tendon ◽  
Isometric Contraction ◽  
Sagittal Plane ◽  
Maximum Voluntary Contraction ◽  
Magnetic Resonance Images ◽  
Plantar Flexor ◽  
Flexor Muscle ◽  
Maximum Voluntary Isometric Contraction ◽  
Muscle Fascicle ◽  
Age Related

The aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that the age-associated decrease of tendon stiffness would necessitate greater muscle fascicle strains to produce similar levels of force during isometric contraction. Greater fascicle strains could force sarcomeres to operate in less advantageous regions of their force-length and force-velocity relationships, thus impairing the capacity to generate strong and explosive contractions. To test this hypothesis, sagittal-plane dynamic velocity-encoded phase-contrast magnetic resonance images of the gastrocnemius medialis (GM) muscle and Achilles tendon (AT) were acquired in six young (YW; 26.1 ± 2.3 yr) and six senior (SW; 76.7 ± 8.3 yr) women during submaximal isometric contraction (35% maximum voluntary isometric contraction) of the plantar flexor muscles. Multiple GM fascicle lengths were continuously determined by automatically tracking regions of interest coinciding with the end points of muscle fascicles evenly distributed along the muscle's proximo-distal length. AT stiffness and Young's modulus were measured as the slopes of the tendon's force-elongation and stress-strain curves, respectively. Despite significantly lower AT stiffness at older age (YW: 120.2 ± 52.3 N/mm vs. SW: 53.9 ± 44.4 N/mm, P = 0.040), contraction-induced changes in GM fascicle lengths were similar in both age groups at equal levels of absolute muscular force (4–5% fascicle shortening in both groups), and even significantly larger in YW (YW: 11–12% vs. SW: 6–8% fascicle shortening) at equal percentage of maximum voluntary contraction. These results suggest that factors other than AT stiffness, such as age-associated changes in muscle composition or fascicle slack, might serve as compensatory adaptations, limiting the degree of fascicle strains upon contraction.

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