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The relationship between leg stiffness, forces and neural control of the leg musculature during the stretch-shortening cycle is dependent on the anticipation of drop height

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Abstract

Purpose

This study aimed at investigating how prior knowledge of drop heights affects proactive and reactive motor control in drop jumps (DJ).

Methods

In 22 subjects, the effect of knowledge of three different drop heights (20, 30, 40 cm) during DJs was evaluated in seven conditions: three different drop heights were either known, unknown or cheated (announced 40 cm, but actual drop height was 20 cm). Peak ground reaction force (Fmax) to body weight (BW) ratio (Fmax/BW) and electromyographic (EMG) activities of three shank and five thigh muscles were assessed 150 ms before and during ground contact (GC). Ankle, knee and hip joint kinematics were recorded in the sagittal plane.

Results

Leg stiffness, proactive and reactive EMG activity of the leg muscles diminished in unknown and cheat conditions for all drop heights (7–33% and 2–26%, respectively). Antagonistic co-activation increased in unknown (3–37%). At touchdown, increased flexion in knee (~ 5.3° ± 1.9°) and hip extension (~ 2° ± 0.6°) were observed in unknown, followed by an increased angular excursion in hip (~ 2.3° ± 0.2°) and knee joints (~ 5.6° ± 0.2°) during GC (p < 0.05). Correlations between changes in activation intensities, joint kinematics, leg stiffness and Fmax/BW (p < 0.05) indicate that anticipation changes the neuromechanical coupling of DJs. No dropouts were recorded.

Conclusion

These findings underline that anticipation influences timing and adjustment of motor responses. It is argued that proactive and reactive modulations associated with diminished activation intensities in leg extensors are functionally relevant in explaining changes in leg stiffness and subsequent decline in performance.

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Abbreviations

BF:

M. biceps femoris

BW:

Body weight

CNS:

Central nervous system

COM:

Center of mass

DJ:

Drop jump

Fmax:

Peak ground reaction force

GC:

Ground contact

GCT:

Ground contact time

GL:

M. gastrocnemius lateralis

Gmax:

M. gluteus maximus

iEMG:

Integrated electromyographic activity

LLR:

Late-latency response

MLR:

Medium-latency response

MTU:

Muscle tendon unit

MVC:

Maximal voluntary contraction

PRE:

Pre-activation

RF:

M. rectus femoris

rmANOVA:

Repeated-measures analysis of variance

SD:

Standard deviation

SLR:

Short-latency response

SOL:

M. soleus

SSC:

Stretch-shortening cycle

TA:

M. tibialis anterior

VL:

M. vastus lateralis

VM:

M. vastus medialis

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Acknowledgements

This study was funded by the German Aerospace Center (DLR, FKZ 50WB1715).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Sport and Sport Science, University of Freiburg, Schwarzwaldstr. 175, 79117, Freiburg, Germany

    Michael Helm, Kathrin Freyler, Janice Waldvogel, Albert Gollhofer & Ramona Ritzmann

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  1. Michael Helm
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  2. Kathrin Freyler
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  3. Janice Waldvogel
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  4. Albert Gollhofer
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  5. Ramona Ritzmann
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Contributions

MH designed and conducted the experiment, collected and analysed the data and wrote the manuscript. KF designed the experiment, analysed data and edited manuscript. JW collected data, designed and conducted the experiment and analysed data. AB designed the experiment and edited manuscript. RR designed the experiment, analysed data and edited manuscript. All authors read and approved the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Michael Helm.

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The authors have no conflicts of interest related to this study.

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Communicated by Toshio Moritan.

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Helm, M., Freyler, K., Waldvogel, J. et al. The relationship between leg stiffness, forces and neural control of the leg musculature during the stretch-shortening cycle is dependent on the anticipation of drop height. Eur J Appl Physiol 119, 1981–1999 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-019-04186-7

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