Trunk and lower limb muscularity in sprinters: what are the specific muscles for superior sprint performance?

Abstract

Objective The major purpose of this study was to determine the specific muscle(s) for superior sprint performance in sprinters. The cross sectional areas (CSAs) of ten muscles of the trunk and lower limb were measured using magnetic resonance images in 56 male sprinters and 40 male non-sprinters. In addition to the absolute CSA, to minimize the effect of difference in body size among participants, the relative CSA normalized to body mass was used for analysis of this study. Results Absolute and relative CSAs of most trunk and lower limb muscles, including the psoas major (PM) and gluteus maximus (GM), were significantly larger in sprinters than in non-sprinters (all P < 0.001, d = 0.91 to 1.82). The absolute and relative CSAs of the PM and GM correlated significantly with personal best 100-m sprint time in sprinters (r = − 0.363 to − 0.388, all P < 0.01). A stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that both CSAs of absolute PM and relative GM were predictive variables for the personal best 100 m sprint time in sprinters (β = − 0.289 and − 0.287, respectively, both P < 0.05). These findings suggest that the PM and GM may be specific muscles for superior sprint performance in sprinters.

Relationship of the knee extensor strength but not the quadriceps femoris muscularity with sprint performance in sprinters: a reexamination and extension

“…In the present MRI study, we determined that although a trend against significance negative correlation was observed between absolute middle quadriceps femoris CSA and personal best 100-m sprint time, other quadriceps femoris size variables did not correlate with personal best 100-m sprint time in sprinters. Therefore, the present findings corroborate the results of previous studies [ 15 – 19 ]. Altogether, we suggest that greater quadriceps femoris may not be an essential morphological factor for achieving better 100-m sprint performance in sprinters.…”

“…Kubo et al [ 27 ] reported that the absolute quadriceps femoris MT did not differ between sprinters and body size-matched non-sprinters. Our previous study also reported that no difference for the absolute and relative middle quadriceps femoris CSAs between sprinters and body size-matched non-sprinters [ 15 , 19 ]. In contrast, the present study observed a trend against significance with a greater absolute quadriceps femoris MV in sprinters than body size-matched non-sprinters.…”

“…Nevertheless, MRI is known to be a more appropriate apparatus to measure muscle size than US [ 29 – 31 ]. Using MRI, our previous studies reported that absolute and relative (i.e., normalized to body mass) middle CSAs of the quadriceps femoris did not correlate with personal best 100-m sprint time in sprinters [ 15 , 19 ]. Moreover, Sugisaki et al [ 18 ] analyzed MRI-measured MV, which is the most appropriate marker of muscle size [ 29 , 30 ], and reported no correlations between absolute and relative quadriceps femoris MVs and personal best 100-m sprint time in sprinters.…”

“…The method for measuring the quadriceps femoris size has been described in our previous studies [ 12 , 13 , 15 , 19 ]. The quadriceps femoris size was measured using a 1.5-T magnetic resonance system (Signa HDxt; GE Medical Systems, WI, USA).…”

“…However, to the best of our knowledge, no study has examined such a relationship in sprinters. Despite this theoretical relationship, previous studies have determined the lack of correlation between quadriceps femoris size and sprint performance in sprinters [ 15 – 19 ]. Based on this finding, it is hypothesized that the knee extensor strength would be related to sprint performance in sprinters independently of the quadriceps femoris muscularity; however, this hypothesis has not been clarified yet.…”