Hip Adduction and Abduction Torque-angle Curve Characterization of Speed Skating Athletes

Abstract

Speed skating is a cyclic sport which involves the hip abductor muscles, impelling the participant forwards, and adductor muscles, in the recovery phase and decelerating the abduction movement eccentrically. This paper has the objective of describing and comparing the abduction/adduction torque-angle curves of speed skating athletes (N=10) with a group of non-practitioners young participants (N=10). Both groups presented similar peak torques and electromyography patterns for tensor fascia lata, gluteus medius, long adductor and adductor magnus. However, athletes showed higher torque-angle curve integral and abduction and adduction peak torques at different hip angles than the control group. These findings suggest an adaptation of their musculotendon actuators and a better capacity to generate mechanical work and power during a propulsion-recovery cycle.

Key word

speed skate - hip muscles - muscle torque - lower limb model

• References

• 1 van der Kruk E, Veeger HEJ, van der Helm FC. et al. Design and verification of a simple 3D dynamic model of speed skating which mimics observed forces and motions . J Biomech 2017; 64: 93-102
• 2 Chang R, Turcotte R, Pearsall D. Hip adductor muscle function in forward skating. Sports Biomech 2009; 8: 212-222
• 3 Houdijk H, de Koning JJ, de Groot G. et al. Push-off mechanics in speed skating with conventional skates and klapskates . Med Sci Sports Exerc 2000; 32: 635-641
• 4 Stoter IK, MacIntosh BR, Fletcher JR. et al. Pacing strategy, muscle fatigue, and technique in 1500-m speed-skating and cycling time trials . Int J Sports Physiol Perform 2016; 11: 337-343
• 5 Butterfield TA, Leonard TR, Herzog W. Differential serial sarcomere number adaptations in knee extensor muscles of rats is contraction type dependent . J Appl Physiol (1985) 2005; 99: 1352-1358
• 6 Brughelli M, Cronin J. Altering the length-tension relationship with eccentric exercise: implications for performance and injury . Sports Med 2007; 37: 807-826
• 7 Johnson ME, Mille ML, Martinez KM. et al. Age-related changes in hip abductor and adductor joint torques . Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2004; 85: 593-597
• 8 Kea J, Kramer J, Forwell L. et al. Hip abduction-adduction strength and one-leg hop tests: test-retest reliability and relationship to function in elite ice hockey players . J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2001; 31: 446-455
• 9 Harriss DJ, Macsween A, Atkinson G. Standards for ethics in sport and exercise science research: 2020 update . Int J Sports Med 2019; 40: 813-817
• 10 Delp SL, Maloney W. Effects of hip center location on the moment-generating capacity of the muscles . J Biomech 1993; 26: 485-499
• 11 van der Kruk E, Schwab AL, van der Helm FCT. et al. Getting in shape: Reconstructing three-dimensional long-track speed skating kinematics by comparing several body pose reconstruction techniques . J Biomech 2018; 69: 103-112
• 12 Delp SL, Anderson FC, Arnold AS. et al. OpenSim: open-source software to create and analyze dynamic simulations of movement . IEEE Trans Biomed Eng 2007; 54: 1940-1950
• 13 Delp SL, Loan JP. A graphics-based software system to develop and analyze models of musculoskeletal structures . Comput Biol Med 1995; 25: 21-34
• 14 Pataky TC. One-dimensional statistical parametric mapping in Python . Comput Methods Biomech Biomed Engin 2012; 15: 295-301
• 15 Mazuquin BF, Dela Bela LF, Pelegrinelli AR. et al. Torque-angle-velocity relationships and muscle performance of professional and youth soccer players . Int J Sports Med 2016; 37: 992-996
• 16 Prasartwuth O, Allen TJ, Butler JE. et al. Length-dependent changes in voluntary activation, maximum voluntary torque and twitch responses after eccentric damage in humans . J Physiol 2006; 571: 243-252
• 17 Carvalho HM. Multilevel models for the analysis of angle-specific torque curves with application to master athletes . J Hum Kinet 2015; 49: 25-35
• 18 Zajac FE. Muscle and tendon: properties, models, scaling, and application to biomechanics and motor control . Crit Rev Biomed Eng 1989; 17: 359-411
• 19 Wren TA. A computational model for the adaptation of muscle and tendon length to average muscle length and minimum tendon strain . J Biomech 2003; 36: 1117-1124
• 20 Lieber RL, Steinman S, Barash IA. et al. Structural and functional changes in spastic skeletal muscle . Muscle Nerve 2004; 29: 615-627