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Muscles that Move the Leg

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 2, 2025

Muscle Imbalances: Testing and Training Functional Eccentric Hamstring Strength in Athletic Populations

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Published on: May 1, 2018

Quadriceps Function and Athletic Performance in Highly Trained Female Athletes.

Frederick J Henderson¹, Wakana Sasakabe¹, Kuwano Satoshi¹

¹Osaka University of Health and Sport Sciences, Graduate School of Sport and Exercise Sciences,Kumatori,Japan.

Journal of Sport Rehabilitation

|August 4, 2022

Summary

Quadriceps strength, including maximum voluntary isometric contraction force (MVIC) and rate of force development (RFD), impacts athletic performance in female athletes. However, these measures do not fully explain performance, cautioning against direct interpretation.

Keywords:

ACL knee sprint squat weightlifting

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Area of Science:

Sports Science
Biomechanics
Human Performance

Background:

Quadriceps strength is crucial for athletic performance, yet data in elite female athletes is limited.
Previous research shows inconsistent findings regarding quadriceps strength and athletic tasks.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the relationship between quadriceps strength, neural function, and athletic performance in highly trained female athletes.
To determine how maximum voluntary isometric contraction force (MVIC) and rate of force development (RFD) relate to specific performance metrics.

Main Methods:

A cross-sectional study involving 34 highly trained female athletes.
Measurement of quadriceps MVIC and RFD (0-50ms).
Assessment of various athletic performance measures.

Main Results:

Quadriceps variables explained a portion of 16 out of 21 performance variables (R² = .08–.36).
Squat performance correlated with RFD0-50ms (R² = .17–.20), while sprinting and vertical jump performance were linked to MVIC (R² = .08–.34).
Broad jump performance involved both MVIC and RFD0-50ms, including their interaction (R² = .20).

Conclusions:

The contribution of quadriceps MVIC and RFD0-50ms to performance varies by task and leg dominance.
While quadriceps are significant, they do not explain the majority of performance variance.
Professionals should avoid equating peak athletic performance solely with knee extensor function in this population.