Gastrocnemius Medialis Architectural Properties in Flexibility Trained and Not Trained Child Female Athletes: A Pilot Study

Gastrocnemius medialis (GM) architecture and ankle angle were compared between flexibility trained (n = 10) and not trained (n = 6) female athletes, aged 8−10 years. Ankle angle, fascicle length, pennation angle and muscle thickness were measured at the mid-belly and the distal part of GM,...

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Main Authors: Ioli Panidi, Gregory C. Bogdanis, Vasiliki Gaspari, Polyxeni Spiliopoulou, Anastasia Donti, Gerasimos Terzis, Olyvia Donti
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2020-03-01
Series:Sports
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4663/8/3/29
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spelling doaj-7e8489500c7f43f4914d1558af67a60a2020-11-24T21:53:48ZengMDPI AGSports2075-46632020-03-01832910.3390/sports8030029sports8030029Gastrocnemius Medialis Architectural Properties in Flexibility Trained and Not Trained Child Female Athletes: A Pilot StudyIoli Panidi0Gregory C. Bogdanis1Vasiliki Gaspari2Polyxeni Spiliopoulou3Anastasia Donti4Gerasimos Terzis5Olyvia Donti6Sports Performance Laboratory, School of Physical Education &amp; Sport Science, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 17237 Athens, GreeceSports Performance Laboratory, School of Physical Education &amp; Sport Science, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 17237 Athens, GreeceSports Performance Laboratory, School of Physical Education &amp; Sport Science, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 17237 Athens, GreeceSports Performance Laboratory, School of Physical Education &amp; Sport Science, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 17237 Athens, GreeceSports Performance Laboratory, School of Physical Education &amp; Sport Science, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 17237 Athens, GreeceSports Performance Laboratory, School of Physical Education &amp; Sport Science, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 17237 Athens, GreeceSports Performance Laboratory, School of Physical Education &amp; Sport Science, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 17237 Athens, GreeceGastrocnemius medialis (GM) architecture and ankle angle were compared between flexibility trained (n = 10) and not trained (n = 6) female athletes, aged 8&#8722;10 years. Ankle angle, fascicle length, pennation angle and muscle thickness were measured at the mid-belly and the distal part of GM, at rest and at the end of one min of static stretching. Flexibility trained (FT) and not trained athletes (FNT) had similar fascicle length at the medial (4.19 &#177; 0.37 vs. 4.24 &#177; 0.54 cm, respectively, <i>p</i> = 0.841) and the distal part of GM (4.25 &#177; 0.35 vs. 4.18 &#177; 0.65 cm, respectively, <i>p</i> = 0.780), similar pennation angles, and muscle thickness (<i>p</i> &gt; 0.216), and larger ankle angle at rest (120.9 &#177; 4.2 vs. 110.9 &#177; 5.8&#176;, respectively, <i>p</i> = 0.001). During stretching, FT displayed greater fascicle elongation compared to FNT at the medial (+1.67 &#177; 0.37 vs. +1.28 &#177; 0.22 cm, respectively, <i>p</i> = 0.048) and the distal part (+1.84 &#177; 0.67 vs. +0.97 &#177; 0.97 cm, respectively, <i>p</i> = 0.013), larger change in joint angle and muscle tendon junction displacement (MTJ) (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.001). Muscle thickness was similar in both groups (<i>p</i> &gt; 0.053). Ankle dorsiflexion angle significantly correlated with fascicle elongation at the distal part of GM (<i>r</i> = &#8722;0.638, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.01) and MTJ displacement (<i>r </i>= &#8722;0.610, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.05). Collectively, FT had greater fascicle elongation at the medial and distal part of GM and greater MTJ displacement during stretching than FNT of similar age.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4663/8/3/29youthfascicle lengthmuscle thicknessmaturationstretching exercisesmusculotendinous junctionultrasound
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Ioli Panidi
Gregory C. Bogdanis
Vasiliki Gaspari
Polyxeni Spiliopoulou
Anastasia Donti
Gerasimos Terzis
Olyvia Donti
spellingShingle Ioli Panidi
Gregory C. Bogdanis
Vasiliki Gaspari
Polyxeni Spiliopoulou
Anastasia Donti
Gerasimos Terzis
Olyvia Donti
Gastrocnemius Medialis Architectural Properties in Flexibility Trained and Not Trained Child Female Athletes: A Pilot Study
Sports
youth
fascicle length
muscle thickness
maturation
stretching exercises
musculotendinous junction
ultrasound
author_facet Ioli Panidi
Gregory C. Bogdanis
Vasiliki Gaspari
Polyxeni Spiliopoulou
Anastasia Donti
Gerasimos Terzis
Olyvia Donti
author_sort Ioli Panidi
title Gastrocnemius Medialis Architectural Properties in Flexibility Trained and Not Trained Child Female Athletes: A Pilot Study
title_short Gastrocnemius Medialis Architectural Properties in Flexibility Trained and Not Trained Child Female Athletes: A Pilot Study
title_full Gastrocnemius Medialis Architectural Properties in Flexibility Trained and Not Trained Child Female Athletes: A Pilot Study
title_fullStr Gastrocnemius Medialis Architectural Properties in Flexibility Trained and Not Trained Child Female Athletes: A Pilot Study
title_full_unstemmed Gastrocnemius Medialis Architectural Properties in Flexibility Trained and Not Trained Child Female Athletes: A Pilot Study
title_sort gastrocnemius medialis architectural properties in flexibility trained and not trained child female athletes: a pilot study
publisher MDPI AG
series Sports
issn 2075-4663
publishDate 2020-03-01
description Gastrocnemius medialis (GM) architecture and ankle angle were compared between flexibility trained (n = 10) and not trained (n = 6) female athletes, aged 8&#8722;10 years. Ankle angle, fascicle length, pennation angle and muscle thickness were measured at the mid-belly and the distal part of GM, at rest and at the end of one min of static stretching. Flexibility trained (FT) and not trained athletes (FNT) had similar fascicle length at the medial (4.19 &#177; 0.37 vs. 4.24 &#177; 0.54 cm, respectively, <i>p</i> = 0.841) and the distal part of GM (4.25 &#177; 0.35 vs. 4.18 &#177; 0.65 cm, respectively, <i>p</i> = 0.780), similar pennation angles, and muscle thickness (<i>p</i> &gt; 0.216), and larger ankle angle at rest (120.9 &#177; 4.2 vs. 110.9 &#177; 5.8&#176;, respectively, <i>p</i> = 0.001). During stretching, FT displayed greater fascicle elongation compared to FNT at the medial (+1.67 &#177; 0.37 vs. +1.28 &#177; 0.22 cm, respectively, <i>p</i> = 0.048) and the distal part (+1.84 &#177; 0.67 vs. +0.97 &#177; 0.97 cm, respectively, <i>p</i> = 0.013), larger change in joint angle and muscle tendon junction displacement (MTJ) (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.001). Muscle thickness was similar in both groups (<i>p</i> &gt; 0.053). Ankle dorsiflexion angle significantly correlated with fascicle elongation at the distal part of GM (<i>r</i> = &#8722;0.638, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.01) and MTJ displacement (<i>r </i>= &#8722;0.610, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.05). Collectively, FT had greater fascicle elongation at the medial and distal part of GM and greater MTJ displacement during stretching than FNT of similar age.
topic youth
fascicle length
muscle thickness
maturation
stretching exercises
musculotendinous junction
ultrasound
url https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4663/8/3/29
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