Force-velocity relationship of leg muscles assessed with motorized treadmill tests: two-velocity method
Date
2017-05-04
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Publisher
Elsevier
Abstract
Linear regression models applied on force (F) and velocity (V) data obtained from loaded multi-joint
functional movement tasks have often been used to assess mechanical capacities of the tested muscles.
The present study aimed to explore the properties of the F-V relationship of leg muscles exerting the
maximum pulling F at a wide range of V on a standard motorized treadmill. Young and physically active
male and female subjects (N=13+15) were tested on their maximum pulling F exerted horizontally while
walking or running on a treadmill set to 8 different velocities (1.4-3.3 m/s). Both the individual (median
R=0.935) and averaged across the subjects F-V relationships (R=0.994) proved to be approximately linear
and exceptionally strong, while their parameters depicting the leg muscle capacities for producing
maximum F, V, and power (P; proportional to the product of F and V) were highly reliable
(0.84<ICC<0.97). In addition, the same F-V relationship parameters obtained from only the highest and
lowest treadmill V (i.e., the 'two-velocity method') revealed a strong relationship (0.89<R<0.99), and
there were no meaningful differences regarding the magnitudes of the same parameters obtained from all
8 V’s of the treadmill. We conclude that the F-V relationship of leg muscles tested through a wide range
of treadmill V could be strong, linear, and reliable. Moreover, the relatively quick and fatigue-free twovelocity
method could provide reliable and ecologically valid indices of F, V, and P producing capacities
of leg muscles and, therefore, should be considered for future routine testing.
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Citation
Dobrijevic, S., Ilic, V., Djuric, S., & Jaric, S. (2017). Force-velocity relationship of leg muscles assessed with motorized treadmill tests: Twovelocity method. Gait & Posture, 56, 60-64. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.gaitpost.2017.04.033