Department of Human Studies, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294-1250, USA.
Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2011 Aug;43(8):1492-9. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e318210464a.
The purpose of study was to determine whether quadriceps/patella and Achilles tendon length and flexibility of the knee extensors and plantar flexors are related to walking and running economy.
Twenty-one male distance runners were subjects. Quadriceps/patella and Achilles tendon length were measured by magnetic resonance imaging; body composition was measured DXA; oxygen uptake at rest while seated, walking (3 mph), and running (6 and 7 mph) were measured by indirect calorimetry; knee and ankle joint flexibility were measured by goniometry; and leg lengths were measured by anthropometry while seated. Correlations were used to identify relationships between variables of interest.
Net VO2 (exercise VO2 - rest VO2) for walking (NVOWK) and running at 6 and 7 mph (NVO6 and NVO7, respectively) was significantly related to Achilles tendon length (r varying from -0.40 to -0.51, P all < 0.04). Achilles tendon cross section was not related to walking or running economy. Quadriceps/patella tendon length was significantly related to NVO7 (r = -0.43, P = 0.03) and approached significance for NVO6 (r = -0.36, P = 0.06). Flexibility of the plantar flexors was related to NVO7 (+0.38, P = 0.05). Multiple regression showed that Achilles tendon length was independently related to NVO6 and NVO7 (partial r varying from -0.53 to -0.64, all P < 0.02) independent of lower leg length, upper leg length, quadriceps/patella tendon length, knee extension flexibility, or plantarflexion flexibility.
These data support the premise that longer lower limb tendons (especially Achilles tendon) and less flexible lower limb joints are associated with improved running economy.
本研究旨在探讨股四头肌/髌骨和跟腱的长度以及膝关节伸肌和跖屈肌的柔韧性与步行和跑步经济性之间的关系。
21 名男性长跑运动员为研究对象。采用磁共振成像（MRI）测量股四头肌/髌骨和跟腱的长度；通过双能 X 线吸收法（DXA）测量身体成分；通过间接测热法测量静息时、步行（3mph）和跑步（6mph 和 7mph）时的耗氧量；通过关节角度计测量膝关节和踝关节的柔韧性；通过人体测量学测量坐姿时的腿长。采用相关分析确定感兴趣变量之间的关系。
步行（NVOWK）和 6mph、7mph 跑步（NVO6 和 NVO7）时的净耗氧量（运动时耗氧量减去静息时耗氧量）与跟腱长度显著相关（r 值范围为-0.40 至-0.51，均 P < 0.04）。跟腱横截面积与步行或跑步经济性无关。股四头肌/髌骨肌腱长度与 NVO7 显著相关（r = -0.43，P = 0.03），与 NVO6 接近显著相关（r = -0.36，P = 0.06）。跖屈肌的柔韧性与 NVO7 相关（+0.38，P = 0.05）。多元回归显示，跟腱长度与 NVO6 和 NVO7 独立相关（偏相关系数范围为-0.53 至-0.64，均 P < 0.02），与小腿长度、大腿长度、股四头肌/髌骨肌腱长度、膝关节伸展柔韧性或跖屈柔韧性无关。
这些数据支持这样一个前提，即较长的下肢肌腱（尤其是跟腱）和较低的下肢关节柔韧性与提高跑步经济性有关。
