Int J Sports Med 2005; 26(4): 245-252
DOI: 10.1055/s-2004-821000
Physiology & Biochemistry

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Recruitment of the Thigh Muscles During Sprint Cycling by Muscle Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

H. Akima1 , R. Kinugasa2 , S. Kuno2
  • 1Research Center of Health, Physical Fitness & Sports, Nagoya University, Furo, Chikusa, Aichi, Japan
  • 2Center for Tsukuba Advanced Research Alliance, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
Further Information

Publication History

Accepted after revision: March 5, 2004

Publication Date:
08 November 2004 (online)

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to investigate recruitment patterns of the thigh muscles during maximal sprint cycling by muscle functional magnetic resonance imaging (mfMRI). Twelve healthy men participated in this study and performed 2, 5, and 10 sets of 6-s supramaximal cycling with a load of 7.5 % of their body weight with 0.5 min of rest between the sets. Before and immediately after the exercise, T2-weighted MR images, i.e. mfMRI, of the right-thigh were taken to calculate T2 of eleven thigh muscles. Vastus lateralis, semitendinosus, and sartorius were the highest activated, i. e. had the greatest T2 change, among the quadriceps, hamstring, and adductors, respectively, compared with other muscles. Total power output during 2, 5, and 10 sets of sprint cycling was correlated with percent change in T2 in the quadriceps correlated (r2 = 0.507 to 0.696, p < 0.01), the hamstring (r2 = 0.162 to 0.335, p < 0.05 ∼ 0.001), and the adductor muscles (r2 = 0.162 to 0.473, p < 0.05 ∼ 0.0001). With use of stepwise regression analysis, total power output was significantly correlated with % change in T2 of the vastus medialis (VM) (p < 0.0001) and vastus intermedius (VI) (p < 0.05) (r2 = 0.698, p < 0.0001). We concluded that eleven thigh muscles were activated non-uniformly, and that the VM and VI play a key role during maximal sprint cycling.

References

  • 1 Adams G R, Duvoisin M R, Dudley G A. Magnetic resonance imaging and electromyography as indexes of muscle function.  J Appl Physiol. 1992;  73 1578-1583
  • 2 Adams G R, Harris R T, Woodard D, Dudley G A. Mapping of electrical muscle stimulation using MRI.  J Appl Physiol. 1993;  74 532-537
  • 3 Akima H, Foley J M, Prior B M, Dudley G A, Meyer R A. Vastus lateralis fatigue alters recruitment of musculus quadriceps femoris in humans.  J Appl Physiol. 2002;  92 679-684
  • 4 Akima H, Ito M, Yoshikawa H, Fukunaga T. Recruitment plasticity of neuromuscular compartments in exercised tibialis anterior using echo-planar magnetic resonance imaging in humans.  Neurosci Lett. 2000;  296 133-136
  • 5 Akima H, Kubo K, Imai M, Kanehisa H, Suzuki Y, Gunji A, Fukunaga T. Inactivity and muscle: effect of resistance training during bed rest on muscle size in the lower limb.  Acta Physiol Scand. 2001;  172 269-278
  • 6 Akima H, Kubo K, Kanehisa H, Suzuki Y, Gunji A, Fukunaga T. Leg-press resistance training during 20 days of 6° head-down-tilt bed rest prevents muscle deconditioning.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 2000;  82 30-38
  • 7 Akima H, Kuno S, Suzuki Y, Gunji A, Fukunaga T. Effects of 20 days of bed rest on physiological cross-sectional area of human thigh and leg muscles evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging.  J Gravit Physiol. 1997;  4 15-21
  • 8 Akima H, Takahashi H, Kuno S, Masuda K, Masuda T, Shimojo H, Anno I, Itai Y, Katsuta S. Early phase adaptations of muscle use and strength to isokinetic training.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1999;  31 588-594
  • 9 Bolhuis B Mv, Gielen C CAM, Ingen Schenau GJv. Activation patterns of mono- and bi-articular arm muscles as a function of force and movement direction of the wrist in humans.  J Physiol (London). 1998;  508 313-324
  • 10 Citterio G, Agostoni E. Selective activation of quadriceps muscle fibers according to bicycling rate.  J Appl Physiol. 1984;  57 371-379
  • 11 Ericson M O, Bratt A, Nisell R, Arborelius A P, Ekholm J. Power output and work in different muscle groups during ergometer cycling.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 1986;  55 229-235
  • 12 Fleckenstein J L, Haller R G, Lewis S F, Archer B T, Barker B R, Payne J, Parker R W, Peshock R M. Absence of exercise-induced MRI enhancement of skeletal muscle in McArdle's disease.  J Appl Physiol. 1991;  71 961-969
  • 13 Gaitanos G C, Williams C, Boobis L H, Brooks S. Human muscle metabolism during intermittent maximal exercise.  J Appl Physiol. 1993;  75 712-719
  • 14 Gollnick P D, Piehl K, Saltin B. Selective glycogen depletion pattern in human muscle fibres after exercise of varying intensity and at varying pedalling rates.  J Physiol (London). 1974;  241 45-57
  • 15 Gregor R J, Green D, Garhammer J J. An electromyographyic analysis of selected muscle activity in elite competitive cyclists. Biomechanics VII. Baltimore; University Park Press 1982: 537-541
  • 16 Hautier C A, Arsac L M, Deghdegh K, Souquet J, Belli A, Lacour J-R. Influence of fatigue on EMG/force ratio and cocontraction in cycling.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2000;  32 839-843
  • 17 Johnson M A, Polgar J, Weightman J D, Appleton D. Data on the distribution of fiber types in thirty-six human muscles. An autopsy study.  J Neurol Sci. 1973;  18 111-129
  • 18 Jorge M, Hull M L. Analysis of EMG measurements during bicycle pedalling.  J Biomech. 1986;  19 683-694
  • 19 Marsh A P, Martin P E. The relationship between candence and lower extremity EMG in cyclists and noncyclists.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1995;  27 217-225
  • 20 Meyer R A, Prior B M. Functional magnetic resonance imaging of muscle.  Exerc Sport Sci Rev. 2000;  28 89-92
  • 21 Neptune R R, Kautz S A, Hull M L. The effect of pedaling rate on coordination in cycling.  J Biomech. 1997;  30 1051-1058
  • 22 Ploutz L L, Tesch P A, Biro R L, Dudley G A. Effect of resistance training on muscle use during exercise.  J Appl Physiol. 1994;  76 1675-1681
  • 23 Prilutsky B I, Gregor R J. Analysis of muscle coordination strategies in cycling.  IEEE Trans Biomed Eng. 2000;  8 362-370
  • 24 Prior B M, Ploutz-Snyder L L, Cooper T G, Meyer R A. Fiber type and metabolic dependence of T2 increases in stimulated rat muscles.  J Appl Physiol. 2001;  90 615-623
  • 25 Reid R W, Foley J M, Jayaraman R C, Prior B M, Meyer R A. Effect of aerobic capacity on the T2 increase in exercised skeletal muscle.  J Appl Physiol. 2001;  90 897-902
  • 26 Richardson R S, Frank L R, Haseler L J. Dynamic knee-extensor and cycle exercise: Functional MRI of muscluar activity.  Int J Sports Med. 1998;  19 182-187
  • 27 Saltin B, Gollnick P D. Skeletal muscle adaptability: significance for metabolism and performance. Peachey LD, Adrian RH, Geiger SR Handbook of Physiology - Skeletal Muscle. Baltimore; American Physiological Society 1983: 555-631
  • 28 Sarre G, Lepers R, Maffiuletti N, Millet G, Martin A. Influence of cycling cadence on neuromuscular activity of the knee extensors in humans.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 2003;  88 476-479
  • 29 Sloniger M A, Cureton K J, Prior B M, Evans E M. Lower extremity muscle activation during horizontal and uphill running.  J Appl Physiol. 1997;  83 2073-2079
  • 30 Vandenborne K, Walter G, Ploutz-Snyder L, Dudley G, Elliott M A, Meirleir K D. Relationship between muscle T2* relaxation properties and metabolic state: a combined localized 31P-spectroscopy and 1H-imaging study.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 2000;  82 76-82
  • 31 Weidman E R, Charles H C, Negro-Vilar R, Sullivan M J, Macfall J R. Muscle activity localization with 31P spectroscopy and calculated T2-weighted 1H images.  Invest Radiol. 1991;  26 309-316
  • 32 Yue G, Alexander A L, Laidlaw D H, Gmitro F, Unger E C, Enoka R M. Sensitivity of muscle proton spin-spin relaxation time as an index of muscle activation.  J Appl Physiol. 1994;  77 84-92

H. Akima

Research Center of Health, Physical Fitness and Sports, Nagoya University

Furo, Chikusa

Nagoya, Aichi 464-8601

Japan

Phone: + 81527893954

Fax: + 81 5 27 89 39 57

Email: akima@htc.nagoya-u.ac.jp

    >