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Updated: Sep 18, 2025

Obtaining Quality Extended Field-of-View Ultrasound Images of Skeletal Muscle to Measure Muscle Fascicle Length
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Does Muscle Length Influence Regional Hypertrophy? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Dorian Varovic1, Milo Wolf2, Brad J Schoenfeld2

  • 1Department of General and Applied Kinesiology, University of Zagreb Faculty of Kinesiology, Zagreb, Croatia.

International Journal of Sports Medicine
|June 26, 2025
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Resistance training (RT) at longer or shorter mean muscle lengths yields similar muscle hypertrophy. This review found minimal differences in muscle growth across proximal, mid-belly, and distal regions, suggesting length is not a primary driver.

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Area of Science:

  • Exercise Physiology
  • Muscle Hypertrophy Research
  • Biomechanics of Resistance Training

Background:

  • Muscle hypertrophy is a key outcome of resistance training (RT).
  • The influence of mean muscle length during RT on regional muscle hypertrophy remains debated.
  • Understanding regional differences in hypertrophy can optimize training protocols.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To systematically review and meta-analyze the impact of mean muscle length during RT on regional muscle hypertrophy.
  • To compare hypertrophic effects at proximal, mid-belly, and distal muscle regions.
  • To investigate trends in muscle growth across different muscle lengths.

Main Methods:

  • A Bayesian meta-analysis of 12 studies involving young adults was conducted.
  • Studies manipulated muscle length via range of motion or exercise selection.
  • Regional muscle hypertrophy was assessed across proximal (25%), mid-belly (50%), and distal (75%) muscle sites.

Main Results:

  • Standardized mean differences (SMDs) indicated trivial hypertrophic effects across all muscle regions (proximal: 0.05, mid-belly: 0.07, distal: 0.09).
  • A slight increasing trend in hypertrophy from proximal to distal sites was observed with longer muscle lengths.
  • High percentages of posterior distributions within regions of practical equivalence suggest minimal practical differences.

Conclusions:

  • Resistance training at both longer and shorter mean muscle lengths results in comparable muscle hypertrophy.
  • The differences in muscle length between study conditions were relatively small, warranting cautious interpretation.
  • Current evidence suggests muscle length is not a dominant factor in regional hypertrophy compared to other training variables.