Institute of Biomechanics and Orthopaedics, German Sport University, Cologne, Germany.
Eur J Appl Physiol. 2013 Jun;113(6):1605-15. doi: 10.1007/s00421-012-2585-4. Epub 2013 Jan 18.
The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether increased tendon-aponeurosis stiffness and contractile strength of the triceps surae (TS) muscle-tendon units induced by resistance training would affect running economy. Therefore, an exercise group (EG, n = 13) performed a 14-week exercise program, while the control group (CG, n = 13) did not change their training. Maximum isometric voluntary contractile strength and TS tendon-aponeurosis stiffness, running kinematics and fascicle length of the gastrocnemius medialis (GM) muscle during running were analyzed. Furthermore, running economy was determined by measuring the rate of oxygen consumption at two running velocities (3.0, 3.5 ms(-1)). The intervention resulted in a ∼7 % increase in maximum plantarflexion muscle strength and a ∼16 % increase in TS tendon-aponeurosis stiffness. The EG showed a significant ∼4 % reduction in the rate of oxygen consumption and energy cost, indicating a significant increase in running economy, while the CG showed no changes. Neither kinematics nor fascicle length and elongation of the series-elastic element (SEE) during running were affected by the intervention. The unaffected SEE elongation of the GM during the stance phase of running, in spite of a higher tendon-aponeurosis stiffness, is indicative of greater energy storage and return and a redistribution of muscular output within the lower extremities while running after the intervention, which might explain the improved running economy.
本研究的目的是探讨阻力训练引起的跟腱-肌腱复合硬度和收缩强度的增加是否会影响跑步经济性。因此，实验组（EG，n=13）进行了 14 周的锻炼计划，而对照组（CG，n=13）则没有改变他们的训练。分析了最大等长自愿收缩力量和跟腱-肌腱复合硬度、跑步运动学和腓肠肌内侧肌（GM）肌肉在跑步时的肌纤维长度。此外，通过测量两种跑步速度（3.0、3.5 ms(-1))下的耗氧量来确定跑步经济性。干预导致最大跖屈肌力量增加约 7%，跟腱-肌腱复合硬度增加约 16%。EG 组的耗氧量和能量消耗率显著降低了约 4%，表明跑步经济性显著提高，而 CG 组则没有变化。无论是运动学还是肌纤维长度和串联弹性元件（SEE）在跑步过程中的伸长都没有受到干预的影响。尽管跟腱-肌腱复合硬度增加，但 GM 在跑步支撑阶段的 SEE 伸长不受影响，这表明在干预后跑步时，下肢的储能和回弹能力以及肌肉输出的重新分配更大，这可能解释了跑步经济性的提高。
