Analysis of muscle force in cycling and soccer athletes and regular gym participants: case-study

Abstract

Thus, the present study sought to compare the muscular strengths of lower limbs in professional soccer and cycling athletes and gym participants, identifying the peak torque, total work, agonist/antagonist ratio and muscular power of each type of sport. As a hypothesis of this study, it is expected that the soccer group presents values superior to the other groups in the variables peak of torque and total work, and the cyclist group presents higher power and muscular relation in comparison to the evaluated groups. Material and methods Research characterizationThis observational cross-sectional case-study consists of pre-existing data collection in the Collucci Clinic Database and AbstractMuscular strength is a primary biomechanical property that allows for human movement and can be defined as the ability of the muscular tissue to develop maximum strength from a muscle or muscle group at a given speed. However, when applied to the sports practice, muscle strength becomes more extensive, it is currently used differently for each sports modality since muscle tissue can generate force in different conditions of movement and physical demands. This study aimed to analyze the muscular strength of lower limbs of professional soccer and cycling athletes comparing with individuals gym participants. Sixty male subjects were selected for a convenience sample aged 18 to 40 years. Participants were divided into groups of 20 individuals from their sports modalities, being: SG-Soccer group, CG-Cycling and GG-Gym, matched by age, weight, height, and BMI. The participants of this research performed an isokinetic evaluation of the knee region. The data obtained by the isokinetic analysis of the torque peak (N.m) total work (J), agonist/antagonist ratio (%) of the evaluated body segment were submitted to statistical analysis by the ANOVA test (p≤0.05) and Bonferroni test (p≤0.05). It was observed that at speeds of 60°/s and 180°/s there was a higher torque peak and total work for the SG and GG group with statistically significant values (p≤0.05), however, the agonist/antagonist ratio presented a higher relation for the CG group, the values were not significant (p≤0.05). In the multiple comparisons between the groups, it was observed that there was a difference in all groups evaluated (p≤0.05) at the speed of 60º/s (peak torque and total work) except for the group SG vs GG for flexor of the left knee. At the speed of 180º/s in torque peak was observed a significant difference (p0.05), except for SG and GG (bilateral flexors and extensors). The total work in 180º/s all groups there was difference (p≤0.05), except for CG vs GG (bilateral flexors) and the SG vs GG and GG vs CG (bilateral extensors). At speeds of 60º/s and 180º/s, the agonist/antagonist ratio was not significant for all groups evaluated. Thus, this study concludes that the SG group presented better values for all strength characteristics except for the agonist/antagonist ratio comparing from CG and GG group, followed for GG group. Keywords