Université Clermont Auvergne, AME2P, 63000, Clermont-Ferrand, France.
Prognostic Factors and Regulatory Factors of Cardiac and Vascular Pathologies, University of Franche-Comté, 25000, Besançon, France.
Eur J Appl Physiol. 2024 Sep;124(9):2651-2663. doi: 10.1007/s00421-024-05480-9. Epub 2024 Apr 17.
Although neuromuscular function varies significantly between strength and endurance-trained adult athletes, it has yet to be ascertained whether such differences manifest by early adolescence. The aim of the present study was to compare knee extensor neuromuscular characteristics between adolescent athletes who are representative of strength (wrestling) or endurance (triathlon) sports.
Twenty-three triathletes (TRI), 12 wrestlers (WRE) and 12 untrained (CON) male adolescents aged 13 to 15 years participated in the present study. Maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) knee extensor (KE) torque was measured, and 100-Hz magnetic doublets were delivered to the femoral nerve during and after KE MVIC to quantify the voluntary activation level (%VA). The doublet peak torque (T) and normalized vastus lateralis (VL) and rectus femoris (RF) EMG (EMG/M-wave) activities were quantified. VL and RF muscle architecture was also assessed at rest using ultrasound.
Absolute and relative (to body mass) KE MVIC torques were significantly higher in WRE than TRI and CON (p < 0.05), but comparable between TRI and CON. No significant differences were observed between groups for %VA, T or either VL or RF muscle thickness. However, VL EMG/M-wave was higher, RF fascicle length longer, and pennation angle smaller in WRE than TRI and CON (all p < 0.05).
The wrestlers were stronger than triathletes and controls, potentially as a result of muscle architectural differences and a greater neural activation. Neuromuscular differences can already be detected by early adolescence in males between predominantly endurance and strength sports, which may result from selection bias and/or physical training.
尽管力量型和耐力型成年运动员的神经肌肉功能有显著差异，但目前尚不清楚这些差异是否在青少年早期就表现出来。本研究的目的是比较具有代表性的力量型（摔跤）和耐力型（三项全能）运动的青少年运动员的膝关节伸肌神经肌肉特征。
本研究共有 23 名三项全能运动员（TRI）、12 名摔跤运动员（WRE）和 12 名未训练的（CON）男性青少年运动员参与，年龄在 13 至 15 岁之间。测量了最大等长收缩（MVIC）膝关节伸肌（KE）扭矩，并在 KE MVIC 期间和之后向股神经施加 100-Hz 磁双脉冲，以量化自愿激活水平（%VA）。量化了双脉冲峰值扭矩（T）和正常化的股外侧肌（VL）和股直肌（RF）肌电图（EMG/M 波）活动。还使用超声在休息时评估 VL 和 RF 肌肉结构。
WRE 的 KE MVIC 扭矩的绝对值和相对值（相对于体重）均明显高于 TRI 和 CON（p < 0.05），但与 TRI 和 CON 之间无显著差异。组间的 %VA、T 以及 VL 或 RF 肌肉厚度均无显著差异。然而，与 TRI 和 CON 相比，WRE 的 VL 肌电图/M 波更高、RF 肌束长度更长、羽毛角更小（均 p < 0.05）。
摔跤运动员比三项全能运动员和对照组更强壮，这可能是由于肌肉结构的差异和更高的神经激活。在男性青少年中，主要从事耐力和力量运动之间已经可以检测到神经肌肉差异，这可能是由于选择偏差和/或体育训练造成的。
