Acute Heterogeneous Changes in Muscle and Tendon Viscoelastic Properties Following a VO₂max Treadmill Test in High-Level Male Soccer Players
Background: This study aimed to investigate the acute changes in muscle and tendon viscoelastic properties in response to a progressive treadmill VO<sub>2</sub>max test among professional male soccer players. Methods: Bilateral assessments at five sites—the Achilles tendon (AT), biceps f...
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2025-06-01
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| author | Karol Skotniczny Artur Terbalyan Michał Krzysztofik Robert Roczniok Miłosz Drozd Łukasz Radzimiński Jakub Jarosz |
| author_facet | Karol Skotniczny Artur Terbalyan Michał Krzysztofik Robert Roczniok Miłosz Drozd Łukasz Radzimiński Jakub Jarosz |
| author_sort | Karol Skotniczny |
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| description | Background: This study aimed to investigate the acute changes in muscle and tendon viscoelastic properties in response to a progressive treadmill VO<sub>2</sub>max test among professional male soccer players. Methods: Bilateral assessments at five sites—the Achilles tendon (AT), biceps femoris, semitendinosus, rectus femoris (RF), and sternocleidomastoid (SCM)—measured tone (oscillation frequency), dynamic stiffness, logarithmic decrement (elasticity), stress relaxation time, and creep. Each site was probed five times and values averaged. Repeated-measures ANOVA (Time × Side) with Bonferroni correction tested pre- to post-exercise changes; Pearson’s <i>r</i> examined associations with VO<sub>2</sub>max. Results: Significant Time effects (all <i>p</i> < 0.05) were observed for RF frequency (<i>η<sub>p</sub></i><sup>2</sup> = 0.226), RF creep (<i>η<sub>p</sub></i><sup>2</sup> = 0.144), AT stiffness (<i>η<sub>p</sub></i><sup>2</sup> ≈ 0.035), AT frequency (<i>η<sub>p</sub></i><sup>2</sup> = 0.035), and SCM frequency (<i>η<sub>p</sub></i><sup>2</sup> = 0.037). Post-exercise, right AT stiffness fell by 65 ± 14 N/m (<i>p</i> = 0.015), while left AT stiffness rose by 22 ± 9 N/m (<i>p</i> = 0.015). RF stiffness decreased by 28 ± 6 N/m (<i>p</i> < 0.001) and tone by 1.2 ± 0.3 Hz (<i>p</i> < 0.001), with creep (+0.08 ± 0.02; <i>p</i> < 0.001) and relaxation time (+1.5 ± 0.7 ms; <i>p</i> < 0.001) increasing. SCM tone declined by 0.8 ± 0.4 Hz (<i>p</i> = 0.010). Baseline RF properties—frequency (<i>r</i> = −0.597), stiffness (<i>r</i> = −0.59), relaxation time (<i>r</i> = 0.53), and creep (<i>r</i> = 0.48)—correlated moderately with VO<sub>2</sub>max (all <i>p</i> < 0.05). Conclusions: These findings suggest that viscoelastic adaptations to exhaustive aerobic exercise are tissue- and side-specific, and that rectus femoris viscoelastic properties may serve as potential indicators of endurance readiness. |
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| spelling | doaj-art-561e73a7173f472381dbd2a46a297cdc2025-07-11T14:35:20ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172025-06-011513698610.3390/app15136986Acute Heterogeneous Changes in Muscle and Tendon Viscoelastic Properties Following a VO₂max Treadmill Test in High-Level Male Soccer PlayersKarol Skotniczny0Artur Terbalyan1Michał Krzysztofik2Robert Roczniok3Miłosz Drozd4Łukasz Radzimiński5Jakub Jarosz6Institute of Sport Sciences, Academy of Physical Education, 40-065 Katowice, PolandInstitute of Sport Sciences, Academy of Physical Education, 40-065 Katowice, PolandInstitute of Sport Sciences, Academy of Physical Education, 40-065 Katowice, PolandInstitute of Sport Sciences, Academy of Physical Education, 40-065 Katowice, PolandInstitute of Sport Sciences, Academy of Physical Education, 40-065 Katowice, PolandDepartment of Physiology, Gdansk University of Physical Education and Sport, 80-336 Gdansk, PolandInstitute of Sport Sciences, Academy of Physical Education, 40-065 Katowice, PolandBackground: This study aimed to investigate the acute changes in muscle and tendon viscoelastic properties in response to a progressive treadmill VO<sub>2</sub>max test among professional male soccer players. Methods: Bilateral assessments at five sites—the Achilles tendon (AT), biceps femoris, semitendinosus, rectus femoris (RF), and sternocleidomastoid (SCM)—measured tone (oscillation frequency), dynamic stiffness, logarithmic decrement (elasticity), stress relaxation time, and creep. Each site was probed five times and values averaged. Repeated-measures ANOVA (Time × Side) with Bonferroni correction tested pre- to post-exercise changes; Pearson’s <i>r</i> examined associations with VO<sub>2</sub>max. Results: Significant Time effects (all <i>p</i> < 0.05) were observed for RF frequency (<i>η<sub>p</sub></i><sup>2</sup> = 0.226), RF creep (<i>η<sub>p</sub></i><sup>2</sup> = 0.144), AT stiffness (<i>η<sub>p</sub></i><sup>2</sup> ≈ 0.035), AT frequency (<i>η<sub>p</sub></i><sup>2</sup> = 0.035), and SCM frequency (<i>η<sub>p</sub></i><sup>2</sup> = 0.037). Post-exercise, right AT stiffness fell by 65 ± 14 N/m (<i>p</i> = 0.015), while left AT stiffness rose by 22 ± 9 N/m (<i>p</i> = 0.015). RF stiffness decreased by 28 ± 6 N/m (<i>p</i> < 0.001) and tone by 1.2 ± 0.3 Hz (<i>p</i> < 0.001), with creep (+0.08 ± 0.02; <i>p</i> < 0.001) and relaxation time (+1.5 ± 0.7 ms; <i>p</i> < 0.001) increasing. SCM tone declined by 0.8 ± 0.4 Hz (<i>p</i> = 0.010). Baseline RF properties—frequency (<i>r</i> = −0.597), stiffness (<i>r</i> = −0.59), relaxation time (<i>r</i> = 0.53), and creep (<i>r</i> = 0.48)—correlated moderately with VO<sub>2</sub>max (all <i>p</i> < 0.05). Conclusions: These findings suggest that viscoelastic adaptations to exhaustive aerobic exercise are tissue- and side-specific, and that rectus femoris viscoelastic properties may serve as potential indicators of endurance readiness.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/13/6986aerobic capacitymuscle stiffnessportable myometryrunningfootball |
| spellingShingle | Karol Skotniczny Artur Terbalyan Michał Krzysztofik Robert Roczniok Miłosz Drozd Łukasz Radzimiński Jakub Jarosz Acute Heterogeneous Changes in Muscle and Tendon Viscoelastic Properties Following a VO₂max Treadmill Test in High-Level Male Soccer Players Applied Sciences aerobic capacity muscle stiffness portable myometry running football |
| title | Acute Heterogeneous Changes in Muscle and Tendon Viscoelastic Properties Following a VO₂max Treadmill Test in High-Level Male Soccer Players |
| title_full | Acute Heterogeneous Changes in Muscle and Tendon Viscoelastic Properties Following a VO₂max Treadmill Test in High-Level Male Soccer Players |
| title_fullStr | Acute Heterogeneous Changes in Muscle and Tendon Viscoelastic Properties Following a VO₂max Treadmill Test in High-Level Male Soccer Players |
| title_full_unstemmed | Acute Heterogeneous Changes in Muscle and Tendon Viscoelastic Properties Following a VO₂max Treadmill Test in High-Level Male Soccer Players |
| title_short | Acute Heterogeneous Changes in Muscle and Tendon Viscoelastic Properties Following a VO₂max Treadmill Test in High-Level Male Soccer Players |
| title_sort | acute heterogeneous changes in muscle and tendon viscoelastic properties following a vo₂max treadmill test in high level male soccer players |
| topic | aerobic capacity muscle stiffness portable myometry running football |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/13/6986 |
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