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To examine torque variability in 2 antagonistic muscles 20 individuals performed maximal and submaximal (5, 10, 20, 50 and 75% of Maximal Voluntary Contraction, MVC) isometric wrist flexions and extensions (5 s) at 5 different angles (230, 210, 180, 150 and 130°). The EMG activity of Flexor Carpi Ulnaris (FCU) and Extensor Digitorum (ED) was recorded and quantified as the integral of EMG. Participants showed higher maximal isometric torque (32.43 ± 11.17 vs. 17.41 ± 3.84 Nm) and lower coefficient of variability during wrist flexion compared to extension. The normalized agonist EMG increased across higher levels of torque for both wrist muscles. Interestingly, the coactivation of ED during wrist flexion was greater compared to the coactivation of FCU during wrist extension at 50 and 75% of MVC, regardless of wrist angle (f.e.: at 180° and 75% of MVC the normalised EMG of ED as antagonist was 14.84 ± 5.18% vs. 9.33 ± 6.94 of the FCU). It is concluded that a stronger isometric wrist flexion is more steadily produced, with greater coactivation compared to a weaker wrist extension, independently from muscle length and torque level. Even if the relative contribution of antagonists to the resultant torque is to be considered, altered activation patterns responsible for differences in force fluctuations could be suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our aim was to compare three electrical stimulation protocols (P20, P30 and P40), with the same number of stimuli, but different stimulation frequencies (20, 30 and 40 Hz, respectively) and duty cycles [1.2:1.2 s (continuous), 0.8:1.2 s (intermittent) and 0.6:1.2 s (intermittent), respectively). Twitch force and the peak-to-peak M-wave amplitude of the thenar muscles were measured before, during and after each protocol at 1-40 Hz in random order. Twelve healthy adults (23-41 years old) were examined for each protocol in random order and in separate sessions. P20 elicited the highest mean force, and P40 the lowest decrease in percent force at the end of the protocol. Force evoked at 1 and 10 Hz decreased less after P40, compared with P20 and P30. The M-wave amplitude was significantly reduced throughout all protocols, with the largest decrease observed during P30. Although an increase in frequency typically induced earlier and greater decrement in force, this was compensated or even reversed by increasing the interval between each stimulation train, while keeping the number of pulses per stimulation cycle constant. The lesser decrease in M-wave amplitude during P40 compared with P20 indicates that longer between-train intervals may help maintaining the integrity of neuromuscular propagation., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Aim: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a detraining period after specific plyometric training on vertical jump performance and mechanical properties of aponeurosis of medial gastrocnemius (MG)., Methods: Twenty participants were assigned into two groups and performed plyometric training on incline (IP, N.=10) and plane ground (PP, N.=10), respectively. Vertical jumping (squat jump [SJ], countermovement jump [CMJ], slow and fast drop jumps from 20 and 40 cm [DJ20, DJ40, DJf20, DJf40]) and aponeurosis strain of MG have been re-evaluated four weeks after the end of the training period. The electromyographic (EMG) activity of MG and tibialis anterior (TA) muscles and MG architecture were also recorded after a 4 week of detraining period., Results: After detraining period, jumping height was decreased from 31.20±3.3 cm to 27.5±2 cm and from 31.8±2.9 cm to 29.5±1.9 cm for DJf20 and DJf40, respectively. For the IP group, these changes were accompanied by a significantly lower MG activity during the propulsion phase (from 0.93%±0.09 to 0.77±0.09% and from 0.89±0.09% to 0.60%±0.06 for DJf20 and DJf40, respectively). Similarly, strain was decreased from 22.7% (±0.05) to 16.3% (±0.05) after detraining period., Conclusion: These findings suggest that after four weeks of detraining, ankle muscle tendon complex properties withdraw to the pre-training values with lower performance, possible reflecting a different working length of the muscle.

The study examined the impact of visually guided weight shifting (WS) practice on the postural adjustments evoked by elderly women when avoiding collision with a moving obstacle while standing. Fifty-six healthy elderly women (70.9+/-5.7 years, 87.5+/-9.6 kg) were randomly assigned into one of three groups: a group that completed 12 sessions (25 min, 3s/week) of WS practice in the Anterior/Posterior direction (A/P group, n=20), a group that performed the same practice in the medio/lateral direction (M/L group, n=20) and a control group (n=16). Pre- and post-training, participants were tested in a moving obstacle avoidance task. As a result of practice, postural response onset shifted closer to the time of collision with the obstacle. Side-to-side WS resulted in a reduction of the M/L sway amplitude and an increase of the trunk's velocity during avoidance. It is concluded that visually guided WS practice enhances elderly's ability for on-line visuo-motor processing when avoiding collision eliminating reliance on anticipatory scaling. Specifying the direction of WS seems to be critical for optimizing the transfer of training adaptations.

To examine the effect of specific concentric and eccentric training on muscular strength following an initial standardized period of excessive training, shoulder extensors and flexors were tested. The shoulder is a joint particularly susceptible to injury and requires a specific strength training program. For a period of 12 weeks, subjects performed training, including concentric and eccentric actions. Thereafter, they were divided into three groups that performed specific 12-week programs, including either concentric (C-E/C), eccentric (C-E/E), or a combination of both concentric and eccentric exercises (C-E/C-E). Following the initial period of training, significant increases (p < 0.05) in performance were observed for all experimental groups. The C-E/C group showed significant increases (p < 0.05) in performance after 24 weeks of training, especially at high concentric angular velocities. However, the C-E/E group showed significant increases (p < 0.05) only in their eccentric moments. No significant differences were noted for the C-E/C-E group. These findings seem to partly confirm the mode-specificity principle, as only the concentric-specific training program improved concentric and eccentric strength. Moreover, the velocity-specificity principle was strongly supported.

The aim of this study was to examine isokinetic torque produced by highly skilled (HS) and sedentary (S) human subjects, during knee extension, during maximal voluntary and superimposed electrical activation. To verify the level of activation of agonist (vastus lateralis, VL, and vastus medialis, VM) and antagonist muscles (semi-tendineous, ST), during maximal voluntary activation, their myo-electrical activities were detected and quantified as root mean square (rms) amplitude. Ten HS and ten S subjects performed voluntary and superimposed isometric actions and isokinetic knee extensions at 14 angular velocities (from -120 to 300 degrees*s(-1)). The rms amplitude of each muscle was normalized with respect to its rms amplitude when acting as agonist at 15 degrees*s(-1). Whatever the angular velocity considered, peak torque and constant angular torque at 65 degrees of HS were significantly higher (P <0.05) than those of S. Eccentric superimposed torque of S, but not HS, was significantly higher (P <0.05) than voluntary torque at -120, -90, - 60 and - 30 degrees*s(-1) angular velocities. For a given velocity, the rms amplitude of VL and VM were significantly lower (P <0.05), during eccentric than during concentric actions, in S, but not in HS. However, whatever the angular velocity, ST co-activation in HS was significantly lower (P < 0.05) than in S. We concluded that co-activation phenomenon could partly explain differences in isokinetic performances. Differences between voluntary and superimposed eccentric torques as well as lower agonist rms amplitude during eccentric action in S, support the possibility of the presence of a tension-regulating mechanism in sedentary subjects.

The aim of this study was to examine isokinetic moment produced by well-trained and sedentary subjects, during plantar flexion, at 13 angular velocities (from -120 to 300 degrees.s-1), under maximal voluntary and superimposed electrical conditions. In order to verify the level of activation of agonist (Soleus (SOL) and Gastrocnemius Medialis (GM)) and antagonist muscles (Tibialis Anterior (TA), their myoelectrical activities were detected and quantified as Root Mean Square (RMS). Whatever the angular velocity considered, the moments developed at 90 degrees by well-trained subjects were significantly (p < 0.05) higher than those developed by sedentary subjects, except at -10 degrees.s-1. Eccentric superimposed moments of sedentary subjects were significantly (p < 0.05) higher than those developed by the same subjects under maximal voluntary conditions. For a given velocity, the RMS's of S and GM muscles were significantly (p < 0.05) lower, during eccentric than during concentric actions, in sedentary, but not in well-trained subjects. The TA co-activation in well-trained subjects was significantly (p < 0.05) lower than in sedentary subjects, whatever the angular velocity considered. We concluded that a co-activation phenomenon could partly explain differences in isokinetic performances. Differences between voluntary and superimposed eccentric moment as well as lower agonists' RMS during eccentric action, support the presence of a tension-regulating mechanism in sedentary subjects.

The purpose of this study was to examine the alterations of the Torque/Angular Velocity relationship in knee extensor and flexor muscles due to a long-term training programme. Thirty five young elite basketball players were tested before, after 12 weeks of a common weight-lifting programme (including concentric and eccentric actions) and after 24 weeks including only concentric (C-E/C group) or concentric and eccentric actions (C-E/C-E group). After 12 weeks, significant decrease in torque of knee extensor muscles was observed. In contrast, significant increases in torque of knee flexor and shoulder flexor and extensor muscles were noted. After 24 weeks, significant increases were noted in torque of all muscular groups, for the C-E/C group but not for the C-E/C-E group. It is concluded that training including concentric and eccentric actions have not the same effect on agonist and antagonist muscular groups. The alternation of the contraction mode influences straingthly the strength restoration.