Top

Published in:

01-10-2011 | Original Article

Repeated sprinting on natural grass impairs vertical stiffness but does not alter plantar loading in soccer players

Authors: Olivier Girard, Sébastien Racinais, Luke Kelly, Grégoire P. Millet, Franck Brocherie

Published in: European Journal of Applied Physiology | Issue 10/2011

Abstract

This study aimed to determine changes in spring-mass model (SMM) characteristics, plantar pressures, and muscle activity induced by the repetition of sprints in soccer-specific conditions; i.e., on natural grass with soccer shoes. Thirteen soccer players performed 6 × 20 m sprints interspersed with 20 s of passive recovery. Plantar pressure distribution was recorded via an insole pressure recorder device divided into nine areas for analysis. Stride temporal parameters allowed to estimate SMM characteristics. Surface electromyographic activity was monitored for vastus lateralis, rectus femoris, and biceps femoris muscles. Sprint time, contact time, and total stride duration lengthened from the first to the last repetition (+6.7, +12.9, and +9.3%; all P < 0.05), while flight time, swing time, and stride length remained constant. Stride frequency decrease across repetitions approached significance (−6.8%; P = 0.07). No main effect of the sprint number or any significant interaction between sprint number and foot region was found for maximal force, mean force, peak pressure and mean pressure (all P > 0.05). Center of mass vertical displacement increased (P < 0.01) with time, together with unchanged (both P > 0.05) peak vertical force and leg compression. Vertical stiffness decreased (−15.9%; P < 0.05) across trials, whereas leg stiffness changes were not significant (−5.9%; P > 0.05). Changes in root mean square activity of the three tested muscles over sprint repetitions were not significant. Although repeated sprinting on natural grass with players wearing soccer boots impairs their leg-spring behavior (vertical stiffness), there is no substantial concomitant alterations in muscle activation levels or plantar pressure patterns.

Arampatzis A, Brüggeman G-P, Metzler V (1999) The effect of speed on leg stiffness and joint kinetics in human running. J Biomech 32(12):1349–1353PubMedCrossRef

Bishop D, Girard O (2010) Repeated-sprint ability. In: Cardinale M, Newton R, Nosaka K (eds) Strength and conditioning biological principles and practical applications. Wiley, New York, pp 223–241

Buchheit M, Bishop D, Haydar B, Nakamura FY, Ahmaidi S (2010) Physiological responses to shuttle repeated-sprint running. Int J Sports Med 31(6):402–409PubMedCrossRef

Chelly SM, Denis C (2001) Leg power and hopping stiffness: relationship with sprint running performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc 33(2):326–333PubMed

Eils E, Streyl M, Linnenbecker S, Thorwesten L, Volker K, Rosenbaum D (2004) Characteristic plantar pressure distribution patterns during soccer-specific movements. Am J Sports Med 32(1):140–145PubMedCrossRef

Farley CT, Gonzalez O (1996) Leg stiffness and stride frequency in human running. J Biomech 29(2):181–186PubMedCrossRef

Farley CT, Houdijk HH, Van Strien C, Louie M (1998) Mechanism of leg stiffness adjustment for hopping on surfaces of different stiffnesses. J Appl Physiol 85(3):1044–1055PubMed

Finni T, Kyrolainen H, Avela J, Komi PV (2003) Maximal but not submaximal performance is reduced by constant-speed 10-km run. J Sports Med Phys Fitness 43(4):411–417PubMed

Ford KR, Manson NA, Evans BJ, Myer GD, Gwin RC, Heidt RS Jr, Hewett TE (2006) Comparison of in-shoe foot loading patterns on natural grass and synthetic turf. J Sci Med Sport 9(6):433–440PubMedCrossRef

Fourchet F, Kuitunen S, Girard O, Millet GP (2007) Comparison of foot plantar distribution between training and spike shoes in young sprinters. Sci Sports 22:176–178CrossRef

Girard O, Eicher F, Fourchet F, Micallef JP, Millet GP (2007) Effects of the playing surface on plantar pressures and potential injuries in tennis. Br J Sports Med 41(11):733–738PubMedCrossRef

Girard O, Micallef J-P, Millet GP (2010a) Changes in spring-mass model characteristics during repeated-running sprints. Eur J Appl Physiol 111(1):125–134

Girard O, Millet GP, Slawinski J, Racinais S, Micallef J-P (2010b) Changes in leg-spring behavior during a 5000 m self-paced run in differently trained athletes. Sci Sports 25(2):99–102CrossRef

Hay JG (1994) The biomechanics of sports techniques, 4th edn. Prentice Hall International, London, pp 396–423

Hobara H, Inoue K, Gomi K, Sakamoto M, Muraoka T, Iso S, Kanosue K (2010a) Continuous change in spring-mass characteristics during a 400 m sprint. J Sci Med Sport 13(2):256–261PubMedCrossRef

Hobara H, Inoue K, Muraoka T, Omuro K, Sakamoto M, Kanosue K (2010b) Leg stiffness adjustment for a range of hopping frequencies in humans. J Biomech 43(3):506–511PubMedCrossRef

Kelly LA, Racinais S, Tanner CM, Grantham J, Chalabi H (2010) Augmented low dye taping changes muscle activation patterns and plantar pressure during treadmill running. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 40(10):648–655PubMed

Kernozek TW, Zimmer KA (2000) Reliability and running speed effects of in-shoe loading measurements during slow treadmill running. Foot Ankle Int 21(9):749–752PubMed

Lieberman DE, Venkadesan M, Werbel WA, Daoud AI, D’Andrea S, Davis IS, Mang’eni RO, Pitsiladis Y (2010) Foot strike patterns and collision forces in habitually barefoot versus shod runners. Nature 463(7280):531–535PubMedCrossRef

McMahon TA, Cheng GC (1990) The mechanics of running: How does stiffness couple with speed? J Biomech 23(Suppl 1):65–78PubMedCrossRef

Mendez-Villanueva A, Hamer P, Bishop D (2008) Fatigue in repeated-sprint exercise is related to muscle power factors and reduced neuromuscular activity. Eur J Appl Physiol 103:411–419PubMedCrossRef

Mero A, Komi PV, Gregor RJ (1992) Biomechanics of sprint running. A review. Sports Med 13(6):376–392PubMedCrossRef

Morin JB, Dalleau G, Kyrolainen H, Jeannin T, Belli A (2005) A simple method for measuring stiffness during running. J Appl Biomech 21(2):167–180PubMed

Morin JB, Jeannin T, Chevallier B, Belli A (2006) Spring-mass model characteristics during sprint running: correlation with performance and fatigue-induced changes. Int J Sports Med 27(2):158–165PubMedCrossRef

Morin JB, Samozino P, Zameziati K, Belli A (2007) Effects of altered stride frequency and contact time on leg-spring behavior in human running. J Biomech 40(15):3341–3348PubMedCrossRef

Müller R, Grimmer S, Blickhan R (2010) Running on uneven ground: Leg adjustments by muscle pre-activation control. Hum Mov Sci 29(2):299–310PubMedCrossRef

Nummela AT, Heath KA, Paavolainen LM, Lambert MI, St Clair Gibson A, Rusko HK, Noakes TD (2008) Fatigue during a 5-km running time trial. Int J Sports Med 29(9):738–745PubMedCrossRef

Paavolainen L, Nummela A, Rusko H, Hakkinen K (1999) Neuromuscular characteristics and fatigue during 10 km running. Int J Sports Med 20(8):516–521PubMedCrossRef

Perrey S, Racinais S, Saimouaa K, Girard O (2010) Neural and muscular adjustments following repeated running sprints. Eur J Appl Physiol 109(6):1027–1036PubMedCrossRef

Queen RM, Charnock BL, Garrett WE Jr, Hardaker WM, Sims EL, Moorman CT 3rd (2008) A comparison of cleat types during two football-specific tasks on fieldturf. Br J Sports Med 42(4):278–284PubMedCrossRef

Racinais S, Bishop D, Denis R, Lattier G, Mendez-Villaneuva A, Perrey S (2007) Muscle deoxygenation and neural drive to the muscle during repeated sprint cycling. Med Sci Sports Exerc 39(2):268–274PubMedCrossRef

Rozema A, Ulbrecht JS, Pammer SE, Cavanagh PR (1996) In-shoe plantar pressures during activities of daily living: implications for therapeutic footwear design. Foot Ankle Int 17(6):352–359PubMed

Sims EL, Hardaker WM, Queen RM (2008) Gender differences in plantar loading during three soccer-specific tasks. Br J Sports Med 42(4):272–277PubMedCrossRef

Stolen T, Chamari K, Castagna C, Wisloff U (2005) Physiology of soccer: an update. Sports Med 35(6):501–536PubMedCrossRef

Tessutti V, Trombini-Souza F, Ribeiro AP, Nunes AL, Sacco Ide C (2010) In-shoe plantar pressure distribution during running on natural grass and asphalt in recreational runners. J Sci Med Sport 13(1):151–155PubMedCrossRef

Weist R, Eils E, Rosenbaum D (2004) The influence of muscle fatigue on electromyogram and plantar pressure patterns as an explanation for the incidence of metatarsal stress fractures. Am J Sports Med 32(8):1893–1898PubMedCrossRef

Willson JD, Kernozek TW (1999) Plantar loading and cadence alterations with fatigue. Med Sci Sports Exerc 31(12):1828–1833PubMedCrossRef

Winter DA (1990) Biomechanics and motor control of human movement, 2nd edn. Wiley Inter Science, New York, pp 75–102

Wong PL, Chamari K, Chaouachi A, Mao de W, Wisloff U, Hong Y (2007) Difference in plantar pressure between the preferred and non-preferred feet in four soccer-related movements. Br J Sports Med 41(2):84–92PubMedCrossRef

Title: Repeated sprinting on natural grass impairs vertical stiffness but does not alter plantar loading in soccer players
Authors: Olivier Girard
Sébastien Racinais
Luke Kelly
Grégoire P. Millet
Franck Brocherie
Publication date: 01-10-2011
Publisher: Springer-Verlag
Published in: European Journal of Applied Physiology / Issue 10/2011
Print ISSN: 1439-6319
Electronic ISSN: 1439-6327
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-011-1884-5

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Repeated sprinting on natural grass impairs vertical stiffness but does not alter plantar loading in soccer players

Abstract

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 10/2011

Muscle damage induced by electrical stimulation

Atlas of the muscle motor points for the lower limb: implications for electrical stimulation procedures and electrode positioning

Is high-frequency neuromuscular electrical stimulation a suitable tool for muscle performance improvement in both healthy humans and athletes?

Transcutaneous neuromuscular electrical stimulation: influence of electrode positioning and stimulus amplitude settings on muscle response

Electrical stimulation for neuromuscular testing and training: state-of-the art and unresolved issues

Effect of different resistance-training regimens on the WNT-signaling pathway