INTRODUCTION: We examined the relationship between passive stiffness of posterior hip and thigh muscles and muscle power output before and after normalization of passive stiffness to muscle cross-sectional area (CSA). METHODS: Pearson correlation coefficients (r) were used to assess the relationships between the normalized and non-normalized slopes of the initial (phase 1) and final (phase 2) portions of the angle-torque curve and peak power output (Pmax). RESULTS: A significant positive relationship was observed between the non-normalized slope of phase 1 and Pmax (r = 0.723; P ≤ 0.001); however, no correlations were observed between the normalized slope of phase 1 and Pmax (r = 0.244; P = 0.299) nor between Pmax and the normalized and non-normalized slopes of phase 2 (r = -0.159-0.418; P = 0.067-0.504). CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that muscle size, rather than stiffness, accounted for a significant portion of the variance in muscle power output.
INTRODUCTION: We examined the relationship between passive stiffness of posterior hip and thigh muscles and muscle power output before and after normalization of passive stiffness to muscle cross-sectional area (CSA). METHODS: Pearson correlation coefficients (r) were used to assess the relationships between the normalized and non-normalized slopes of the initial (phase 1) and final (phase 2) portions of the angle-torque curve and peak power output (Pmax). RESULTS: A significant positive relationship was observed between the non-normalized slope of phase 1 and Pmax (r = 0.723; P ≤ 0.001); however, no correlations were observed between the normalized slope of phase 1 and Pmax (r = 0.244; P = 0.299) nor between Pmax and the normalized and non-normalized slopes of phase 2 (r = -0.159-0.418; P = 0.067-0.504). CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that muscle size, rather than stiffness, accounted for a significant portion of the variance in muscle power output.
Authors: Ty B Palmer; Kazuma Akehi; Ryan M Thiele; Douglas B Smith; Aric J Warren; Brennan J Thompson Journal: J Athl Train Date: 2015-02-06 Impact factor: 2.860