Effect of Ankle Joint Stiffness during Eccentric Phase in Rebound Jumps on Ankle Joint Torque at Midpoint

Abstract

The purposes of this study were to investigate firstly, the ankle joint stiffness during the eccentric phase in rebound jumps, and secondly, the effect of ankle joint stiffness during the eccentric phase on ankle joint torque at midpoint. Nine active males executed rebound drop jumps from a height of 30 cm (RDJ30) and 50 cm (RDJ50), and 5-repetition rebound jumps (5RJ). Force plate data, limb position and electromyogram (EMG) of the medial head of gastrocnemius (GAS), soleus (SOL), and tibialis anterior (TA) muscles were recorded simultaneously during all jumps. When compared with RDJ30 and RDJ50, 5RJ displayed significantly higher jumping height, ankle joint torque at midpoint, ankle joint stiffness during the eccentric phase, and integrated EMG (IEMG) of GAS and SOL. Furthermore, 5RJ displayed significantly lower contact time and IEMG of TA than RDJ30 and RDJ50 did. The ankle joint torque at midpoint showed a significant positive correlation with jumping height but a significant negative correlation with contact time in rebound jumps. There was a significant positive correlation between the ankle joint stiffness during the eccentric phase and ankle joint torque at midpoint in rebound jumps. These results suggested that for the rebound jumps to be effective, it may be important to enhance the ankle joint torque at midpoint by greater ankle joint stiffness during the eccentric phase. These results also suggested that compared to 5RJ, RDJ30 and RDJ50 may reduce ankle joint stiffness in order to protect the tendomuscular system from the stretch load. However, ankle joint stiffness is possibly increased in 5RJ because the restraint to defend the tendomuscular system is reduced by prediction or adaptation to the stretch load because it is a continuous jump.

Key words

Stretch-shortening cycle exercise - torque-angle relationship - electromyogram

References

• 1 Arampatzis A, Schade F, Walsh M, Bruggemann G-P. Influence of leg stiffness and its effect on myodynamic jumping performance.  J Electromyogr Kinesiol. 2001;  11 355-364
• 2 Asmussen E, Bonde-Petersen F. Storage of elastic energy in skeletal muscles in man.  Acta Physiol Scand. 1974;  91 385-392
• 3 Avela J, Santos P M, Komi P V. Effects of differently induced stretch loads on neuromuscular control in drop jump exercise.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 1996;  72 553-562
• 4 Bobbert M F, Gerritsen K GM, Litjens M CM, van Soest A J. Why is countermovement jump height greater than squat jump height?.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1996;  28 1402-1412
• 5 Bobbert M F, Huijing P A, van Ingen Schenau G J. Drop jumping I. The influence of jumping technique on the biomechanics of jumping.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1987;  19 332-338
• 6 Bobbert M F, Huijing P A, van Ingen Schenau G J. A model of the human triceps surae muscle-tendon complex applied to jumping.  J Biomech. 1986;  19 887-898
• 7 Cavagna G A, Dusman B, Margaria R. Positive work done by a previously stretched muscle.  J Appl Physiol. 1968;  24 21-32
• 8 Dietz V, Noth J. Spinal stretch reflexes of triceps surae in active and passive movements.  J Physiol. 1978;  284 180-181
• 9 Ettema G JC, van Soest A J, Huijing P A. The role of series elastic structures in prestretch-induced work enhancement during isotonic and isokinetic contractions.  J Exp Biol. 1990;  154 121-136
• 10 Farley C T. Role of the stretch-shortening cycle in jumping.  J Appl Biomech. 1997;  13 436-438
• 11 Finni T, Ikegawa S, Komi P V. Concentric force enhancement during human movement.  Acta Physiol Scand. 2001;  173 369-377
• 12 Gollhofer A, Strojnik V, Rapp W, Schweizer L. Behaviour of triceps surae muscle-tendon complex in different conditions.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 1992;  64 283-291
• 13 Gollhofer A, Kyrolainen H. Neuromuscular control of the human leg extensor muscles in jump exercises under various stretch-load conditions.  Int J Sports Med. 1991;  12 34-40
• 14 Gollhofer A, Schmidtbleicher D, Dietz V. Regulation of muscle stiffness in human locomotion.  Int J Sports Med. 1984;  5 19-22
• 15 Horita T, Komi P V, Nicol C, Kyrolainen H. Stretch-shortening cycle fatigue: interactions among joint stiffness, reflex and muscle mechanical performance in the drop jump.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 1996;  73 393-403
• 16 Ishikawa M, Komi P V. Effects of different dropping intensities on fascicle and tendinous tissue behavior during stretch-shortening cycle exercise.  J Appl Physiol. 2004;  96 848-852
• 17 Komi P V, Bosco C. Utilization of stored elastic energy in leg extensor muscles by men and women.  Med Sci Sports. 1978;  10 261-265
• 18 Latash M L, Zatsiorsky V M. Joint stiffness: Myth or reality?.  Hum Mov Sci. 1993;  12 653-692
• 19 Nichols T R, Houk J C. Improvement in linearity and regulation of stiffness that results from actions of stretch reflex.  J Neurophysiol. 1976;  39 119-142
• 20 Nielsen J, Sinkjaer T, Toft E, Kagamihara Y. Segmental reflexes and ankle joint stiffness during co-contraction of antagonistic ankle muscles in man.  Exp Brain Res. 1994;  102 350-358
• 21 Stefanyshyn D J, Nigg B M. Dynamic angular stiffness of the ankle joint during running and sprinting.  J Appl Biomech. 1998;  14 292-299
• 22 Stein R B, Parmiggiani F. The stiffness of slow-twitch muscle lags behind twitch tension: implications for contractile mechanisms and behavior.  Can J Physiol Pharmacol. 1979;  57 1189-1192
• 23 van Ingen Schenau G J. An alternative view to the concept of utilization of elastic energy in human movement.  Hum Mov Sci. 1984;  3 301-336
• 24 Voigt M, Chelli F, Frigo C. Changes in excitability of soleus muscle short latency stretch reflexes during human hopping after 4 weeks of hopping training.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 1998;  78 522-532
• 25 Yoon S, Ohyama B K, Okada H, Takamatsu K. Effect of gastrocnemius muscle stiffness in rebound jumps under slanted contact surface conditions on achilles tendon force.  Japan J Phys Educ Hlth Sport Sci. 1999;  44 510-521
• 26 Winter D A. Biomechanics and Motor Control of Human Movement. 2nd ed. New York, USA; Wiley-Interscience 1990: 75-102