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Assessment of neuromuscular function after different strength training protocols using tensiomyography
Rauno Á de Paula Simola1, Nico Harms, Christian Raeder
1Departments of 1Training and Exercise Science; 2Sport Psychology, Faculty of Sports Science, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany; 3School of Human Movement Studies and School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia; 4Institute of Sports and Preventive Medicine, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany; and 5Institute of Sports Science, Johannes-Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany.
Tensiomyography (TMG) effectively measures changes in muscle force and neuromuscular function after strength training. Protocols like drop sets and flywheel training significantly impact rectus femoris muscle properties compared to plyometrics.
Area of Science:
- Sports Science
- Exercise Physiology
- Biomechanical Analysis
Background:
- Muscle force and neuromuscular function are critical for athletic performance.
- Tensiomyography (TMG) offers a non-invasive method to assess muscle mechanical properties.
- Understanding the impact of different training protocols on muscle function is essential for optimizing training strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the sensitivity of Tensiomyography (TMG) to detect changes in muscle force and neuromuscular function.
- To compare the effects of five distinct lower-limb strength training protocols on the rectus femoris (RF) muscle properties.
- To investigate the relationship between TMG-derived muscle properties and maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC).
Main Methods:
- 14 male athletes underwent five different lower-limb strength training protocols (multiple sets, drop sets, eccentric overload, flywheel, plyometrics) in a randomized order.
- Maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) and TMG parameters (Dm, Tc, V10, V90) of the rectus femoris were measured at baseline, immediately post-training, and 24 and 48 hours post-training.
- Statistical analysis included ANOVA to identify significant changes in TMG properties and MVIC across measurement points and protocols.
Main Results:
- All measured TMG contractile properties and MVIC showed significant changes across measurement points (p < 0.01).
- Drop sets (DS) and flywheel (FW) protocols resulted in significantly lower maximal radial displacement (Dm) and early contraction velocity (V10) compared to plyometrics (PL) immediately post-training (p ≤ 0.032).
- Decreases in Dm, V10, and V90 significantly correlated with reductions in MVIC (r = 0.64–0.67, p ≤ 0.05), indicating TMG sensitivity to force changes.
Conclusions:
- TMG is sensitive to alterations in muscle force and neuromuscular function following lower-limb strength training.
- Different strength training protocols induce varying changes in the neuromuscular properties of the rectus femoris muscle.
- Training protocols characterized by high eccentric load and prolonged time under tension may lead to more pronounced changes in TMG muscle properties.
