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Published in: BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation 1/2024

Open Access 01-12-2024 | Fatigue | Research

Fatigue effects on the knee flexors neuromuscular parameters during repeated sprinting

Authors: Ricardo Pimenta, Tomás Lopes, A. P. Veloso

Published in: BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation | Issue 1/2024

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Abstract

Background

To identify at which point fatigue on neuromuscular parameters occurs in the knee flexors during a repeated sprint protocol.

Methods

Physical active males without previous hamstring strain injury were recruited. Neuromuscular parameters such as peak torque (PT) and rate of torque development (RTD) were assessed after every two sprints in a 5 × (2 x 30 m) repeated sprint protocol.

Results

Twenty physical active males participated in the study. A significant effect of sprint number was found (p < 0.001; η2p = 0.643) with a decreased sprint speed by 6.9% from fastest to slowest sprint. No significant differences were observed in the time between finishing the sprint and performing the first MVIC (46.3 ± 4.7s; p = 0.423), nor in the time between finishing a set and starting the next set (121.2 ± 7.6s; p = 0.503). Regarding neuromuscular parameters, the only significant difference found was in PT between before and after two sprints (117.95 ± 5.61 N⋅m vs. 110.64 ± 5.71 N⋅m; p = 0.048, d = 0.289) and on RTD 0-50ms before and after ten sprints (465.78 ± 223.76 N⋅m/s vs. 382.30 ± 189.56 N⋅m/s; p = 0.008; η2p = 0.149).

Conclusions

A recovery time of 46s between sprints and testing neuromuscular parameters (due to experimental design) seems sufficient to restore the neuromuscular system. Therefore, it can be suggested that time recovery is the principal factor in detecting fatigue on neuromuscular parameters.
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Metadata
Title
Fatigue effects on the knee flexors neuromuscular parameters during repeated sprinting
Authors
Ricardo Pimenta
Tomás Lopes
A. P. Veloso
Publication date
01-12-2024
Publisher
BioMed Central
Keyword
Fatigue
Published in
BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation / Issue 1/2024
Electronic ISSN: 2052-1847
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13102-023-00789-y

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