Toshiaki Oda

Specific muscle–tendon architecture in elite Kenyan distance runners

The Achilles tendon moment arm (MA_AT) and foot lever ratio (FLR) can play important roles for force production and movement economy during locomotion. This notion has become more relevant, and suggestion has been given that the Kenyan runners belonging to the world elite would have specific anatomical, mechanical, and functional properties in their lower limbs and that this feature could be responsible for their high running economy. The present study aimed to characterize the AT of elite Kenyan distance runners as compared with Japanese ones, and to examine the potential relationship with their running performance. Ultrasonography was used to measure AT cross‐sectional area and AT soleus and gastrocnemius lengths. MA_AT and FLR were calculated from the position of anatomical landmarks using sagittal plane photographs. MA_AT was significantly longer and the FLR lower in Kenyans than in Japanese. Independently of the group, the running performance was positively related to the MA_AT (r = 0.55, P < 0.001) and negatively to the FLR (r = −0.45, P = 0.002). These results suggest that longer MA_AT and lower FLR could be advantageous in elite Kenyan runners, by contributing to effective endurance running performance in a protective and economical way.

Relationship between quadriceps femoris muscle volume and muscle torque after anterior cruciate ligament rupture

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to obtain evidence to support the hypothesis that motor unit recruitment is reduced in the quadriceps femoris (QF) of patients with ACL rupture.MethodsWe compared muscle torque per unit volume in the QF from injured and uninjured sides to normal subjects. If high-threshold motor unit recruitment is reduced in patients with ACL rupture, this reduction will theoretically lead to a reduction in muscle torque per unit volume compared to the control group. The subjects included 22 patients with ACL rupture and 22 subjects with no history of knee injury. To identify the muscle torque per unit volume, the isokinetic peak torque was divided by QF volume which was obtained by MRI.ResultsTests revealed that the mean muscle torque per unit volume of the uninjured and injured sides was significantly lower than those of the control group.ConclusionThis study demonstrated that the values of the muscle torque per unit volume of both injured and uninjured sides of patients with ACL rupture were significantly lower than those of the control group, thereby providing indirect evidence of the hindrance of motor unit recruitment in these patients. The results of the present study also indicate that there may be bilateral QF weakness in patients with ACL rupture. Since persistent QF weakness is a significant barrier to effective rehabilitation in patients with ACL injuries, a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms will allow clinicians and scientists to develop more effective therapeutic strategies for patient rehabilitation.

Interaponeurosis shear strain modulates behavior of myotendinous junction of the human triceps surae

Muscle fascicles insert into a sheet‐like aponeurosis. Adjacent aponeuroses are structurally in contact with each other, and ultimately merge into a common tendon. Consequently, fascicle shortening in planes of tissue layers in adjacent compartments must cause sliding between aponeuroses parallel to the acting forces. In this study, we used velocity‐encoded, phase‐contrast, and water‐saturated spin‐lattice relaxation time‐weighted imaging to identify and track fascicle and aponeurosis behaviors of human medial gastrocnemius (MG) and soleus (Sol) during 15° dorsiflexion to 30° plantarflexion contractions of the ankle. Interaponeurosis shear strain, which was defined as the relative displacement of the aponeurosis at the fascicle end points (insertion) of the MG and Sol, was an average of 1.35 ± 0.27% (range 1.12 ~ 1.87%), indicating that the strain is greater in the aponeurosis of MG fascicle insertion than the Sol. The myotendinous junction (MTJ) displacement increased significantly with decreasing interaponeurosis shear strain (P < 0.05). The magnitude of interaponeurosis shear strain had significant correlation with the temporal difference between the time at which the peak aponeurosis displacement of the MG and Sol occurred (P < 0.05). Our model also indicated that theoretical MTJ displacement varies in relation to temporal difference: no temporal difference caused the largest MTJ displacement and presence of temporal differences indicated a reduction in MTJ displacement. Therefore, we concluded that interaponeurosis shear strain is a mechanism enabling individual muscle contraction and thus specific loading of the tendon and joint.

The activation time-course of contractile elements estimated from in vivo fascicle behaviours during twitch contractions

Abstract To better understand the cascade from neural activation up to force production within in vivo contracting muscle-tendon units, we estimated activation of contractile elements from experimentally measured human fascicle length change and force using a Hill-type muscle model. The experiment was conducted with respect to twitch contractions of the tibialis anterior muscle at three joint angles. As muscle contractile element force is a function of its length and velocity, the activation of contractile elements was calculated using a Hill-type muscle model and measured data. The results were able to reproduce the continuous rising activation of contractile elements after termination of electromyographic activity, the earlier shift of peak activation in time compared to twitch force, and the differences in time-course activation at three different joint angles. These findings are consistent with the predicted change in the activation of contractile elements from previous reports. Also, the results suggest that the time-course of the activation of contractile elements was greatly influenced by the change in force generating capacities related to both length and velocity, even in fixed end contractions, which could result from muscle-tendon interaction.