Research article summary (published 27 Feb 1995):

Mechanical and muscular factors influencing the performance in maximal vertical jumping after different prestretch loads.

Full Abstract

The objective of the present work was to study the interaction between the tendon elasticity, the muscle activation-loading dynamics, specific actions of the biarticular muscles, preloading and jumping performance during maximal vertical jumping. Six male expert jumpers participated in the study. They performed maximal vertical jumps with five different preloads. The kinematics and dynamics of the jumping movements were analysed from force plate and high speed film recordings. The amount of elastic energy stored in the tendons of the leg extensor muscles was calculated by a generalised tendon model, and the muscle coordination was analysed by surface EMG. The best jumping performances were achieved in the jumps with low preloads (counter movement jumps and drop jumps from 0.3 m). A considerable amount of the energy imposed on the legs by prestretch loading was stored in the tendons (26 +/- 3%), but the increased performance could not be explained by a contribution of elastic energy to the positive work performed during the push off. During the preloading, the involved muscles were activated at the onset of the loading. Slow prestretches at the onset of muscle activation under relatively low average stretch loads, as observed during counter movement jumps and drop jumps from 0.3 m, prevented excessive stretching of the muscle fibres in relation to the tendon length changes. This consequently conserved the potential of the muscle fibres to produce positive work during the following muscle-tendon shortening in concert with the release of the tendon strain energy. A significant increase in the activity of m. rectus femoris between jumps with and without prestretch indicated a pronounced action of m. rectus femoris in a transport of mechanical energy produced by the proximal monoarticular m. gluteus maximus at the hip to the knee and thereby enhanced the transformation of rotational joint work to translational work on the mass centre of the body. The changes in muscle activity were reflected in the net muscle powers. Vertical jumping is like most movements constrained by the intended direction of the movement. The movements of the body segments during the prestretches induced a forward rotation and during the take off, a backward rotation of the body. A reciprocal shift in the activities of the biarticular m. rectus femoris and m. semitendinosus indicated that these rotations were counteracted by changes in the direction of the resultant ground reaction vector controlled by these muscles.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Author information

Author/s: Voigt, M (M); Simonsen, E B (EB); Dyhre-Poulsen, P (P); Klausen, K (K);

Affiliation: Department of Medical Anatomy, Panum Institute, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Journal of biomechanics (J Biomech), published in UNITED STATES. (Language: eng)

Reference: 1995-Mar; vol 28 (issue 3) : pp 293-307

Dates: Created 1995/06/01; Completed 1995/06/01; Revised 2008/11/21;

PMID: 7730388, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

External Links for this article
(including full text providers, if available):

Click Electronic Full-text Provider Links to see options for finding the electronic full text links to this article. Note there may be a subscription or fee required for access to the full text. See our FAQ for information on finding FREE full text articles.

This article may also be located in paper journal collections available in many libraries. Use the Journal and Publication Information above to find the full article.

MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adult Elasticity Electromyography Energy Transfer Hip Joint - physiology Humans Knee Joint - physiology Leg - physiology Male

Motion Pictures as Topic Movement - physiology Muscle Contraction - physiology Muscle Fibers, Skeletal - physiology Muscle, Skeletal - physiology Rotation Stress, Mechanical Tendons - physiology Weight-Bearing - physiology

Related articles

These are the highest related articles currently in the database:

• Contribution of muscle series elasticity to maximum performance in drop jumping. 30 Jan 2006
• Motor strategies for initiating downward-oriented movements during standing in adults. 11 Mar 2004
• Single joint perturbation during gait: neuronal control of movement trajectory. 25 Apr 2004
• Phase- and task-specific modulation of soleus H-reflexes during drop-jumps and landings. 12 Jun 2008
• Age-related differences in muscle power during single-step balance recovery. 30 Jul 2006
• Soleus and vastus medialis H-reflexes: similarities and differences while standing or lying during varied knee flexion angles. 13 Jun 2005
• Development and validation of a 3-D model to predict knee joint loading during dynamic movement. 29 Nov 2003
• Recurrence quantification analysis of surface EMG detects changes in motor unit synchronization induced by recurrent inhibition. 18 Oct 2006
• Mechanical efficiency during repetitive vertical jumping. 24 May 2007
• Learning effects on muscle modes and multi-mode postural synergies. 26 Aug 2007

See 100+ related articles.

Related Article Map

Legend: - FREE Full text Article. - Abstract only. - Title only. More help.

See a large map of 100+ related articles.