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Updated: Jun 24, 2025

Muscle Imbalances: Testing and Training Functional Eccentric Hamstring Strength in Athletic Populations
Published on: May 1, 2018
Discipline-specific Torque-Velocity Profiles and Musculotendinous Morphology in Athletes
Leonardo Cesanelli1, Tomas Venckunas1, Berta Ylaitė1
1Institute of Sport Science and Innovations, Lithuanian Sports University, Kaunas, Lithuania.
Objectives:
The aim of this study was to compare torque-velocity profiles, muscle architecture, tendon dimensions, and bilateral-symmetry between competitive cyclists (CY), competitive runners (RN), ice-hockey players (IH), basketball players (BP), and physically-active individuals (CN) (n=10 for each group).
Methods:
Vastus lateralis (VL) muscle and patellar tendon (PT) structures were determined with B-mode ultrasonography, and maximal knee extensor isokinetic torque was assessed at three different velocities.
Results:
Optimal torque and velocity were lower in runners than CY, BP and IH (p<0.05). Maximal power was similar between the athlete groups but greater than CN (p<0.05). Furthermore, RN and BP reached their peak-torque at longer muscle lengths compared to IH and CY (p<0.05). RN had the lowest VL muscle thickness and the greatest fascicle length, while CY had the greatest pennation angle (p<0.05). CY had the greatest PT thickness, particularly at the proximal and medial sites, while BP at the distal point (p<0.05), with similar trends observed for PT cross-sectional-area.
Conclusions:
Our findings show that even if power generating capacity is similar between athletic disciplines, there are discipline-specific muscle adaptations, where particularly runners appear to have muscles adapted for speed rather than torque development, while in cyclists, velocity is sacrificed for torque development.
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