Introduction: Joint position and muscle length are well known to influence torque production and the angle-torque relationship has been described for many muscle groups including Quadriceps Femoris (Q). However, contrasting reports exist as to whether neuromuscular activation changes with joint position and contributes to the Q angle-torque relationship (Kubo et al. 2004; Kooistra et al. 2007). Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate Q neuromuscular activation, using surface electromyography (EMG) and the interpolated twitch technique (ITT) at four knee joint angles (25°, 50°, 80° and 105°; 0° = full knee extension). Method: Thirteen healthy males (21 ± 2 years; 1.78 ± 0.07 m; 73 ± 5 kg) completed two familiarization and two identical experimental sessions. Test sessions involved isometric torque and EMG (6 sites, 2 electrodes on each of the superficial quadriceps; Delsys Trigno, Boston, MA) recordings of the right leg (Q) at each knee joint angle during the following knee extension tasks: maximum voluntary contractions (MVCs); electrically evoked twitch and doublet contractions (via femoral nerve stimulation, DS7AH, Digitmer, UK); maximal and submaximal voluntary contractions with superimposed doublets. Recordings at each angle were done in a counterbalanced order across the two sessions. Measurements included maximum voluntary torque, maximal M-wave peak-to-peak amplitude (Mmax P-P), absolute EMG root-mean-square amplitude at MVT (EMGMVT), EMGMVT normalised to Mmax P-P (EMGMVT-PP). In addition doublet stimulation at rest and superimposed during sub-maximal and maximal contractions was used to calculate neuromuscular activation (ACT) at MVT. Results: Maximal voluntary torque (MVT) was significantly influenced by joint angle with MVT greater (Bonferroni, P ≤ 0.001) for the mid-range positions (50°, 256 ± 34 Nm; 80°, 273 ± 37 Nm) than the most extended (25°, 136 ± 33 Nm) and flexed (106° 218 ± 36 Nm) positions. ACT was lower at the most extended positions (25° 83 ± 9%; 50° 83 ± 7%) compared to the most flexed positions (106° 94 ± 3%; 80° 95 ± 3%; Bonferroni, P≤0.029). Absolute EMG at MVT (EMGMVT) showed no significant difference between angle positions (ANOVA, P=0.246), although EMGMVT-PP showed a tendency to be lower at 25° (7.03 ± 1.80%) than 80° (8.24 ± 2.18%; Bonferroni, P=0.087). Conclusion: ACT, calculated with the ITT, showed differences between angle positions that appears to contribute to the angle-torque relationship. In contrast, the similarity in absolute and normalized EMGMVT across the measured knee joint angles suggested similar neural drive across the measured joint angles. Based on these contrary findings it remains ambiguous if Q neuromuscular activation changes with knee joint angle
The Biomedical Basis of Elite Performance 2016 (Nottingham, UK) (2016) Proc Physiol Soc 35, PC36
Poster Communications: Do changes in neuromuscular activation contribute to the quadriceps femoris angle-torque relationship?
M. B. Lanza1, T. G. Balshaw1, J. P. Folland1
1. School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire, United Kingdom.
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