Korean J Sports Med.  2016 Dec;34(2):146-152. 10.5763/kjsm.2016.34.2.146.

Analysis of Bodybuilder's Skeletal Muscle Characteristics Using Tensiomyography

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Eulji University School of Medicine, Daejeon, Korea.
  • 2Department of Sport and Leisure Studies, Korea University, Sejong, Korea.
  • 3Department of Sports Medicine, Soonchunhyang University, Asan, Korea.
  • 4Global Teun Teun Hospital, Daejeon, Korea. yodeo@hanmail.net

Abstract

The aim of this study is to evaluate the contractile properties of thigh muscles in bodybuilders through tensiomyography (TMG). Our hypothesis is that maximal displacement (Dm) in bodybuilders would be lower than in controls because Dm is increased when the muscle is stiffed or hypertrophied. Nine bodybuilder athletes and 15 university students were assessed by TMG. The biceps femoris (BF), semitendinosus (ST), vastus lateralis, vastus medialis (VM), and rectus femoris (RF) were evaluated. The TMG parameters obtained for each muscle were Dm, contraction time (Tc). And we calculated contraction velocity (Vc) as the rate of the radial displacement occurring during the time period of Tc with respect to Tc. Dm values of all muscles in bodybuilders were significantly higher compared to the control group. There were no significant differences in Tc values of most muscles except right BF and ST muscles. Vc values of VM, RF, and ST muscles were lower in bodybuilders than in the control group. This is the first report about TMG assessment of muscle hypertrophy. We found that Dm was most effective in detecting muscle hypertrophy and muscle stiffness secondary to muscle hypertrophy could induce decrease in Dm and Vc.

Keyword

Tensiomyography; Bodybuilder; Maximal displacement; Contraction velocity

MeSH Terms

Athletes
Humans
Hypertrophy
Muscle, Skeletal*
Muscles
Quadriceps Muscle
Thigh

Figure

  • Fig. 1. System components of tensiomyography (TMG) include electrical stimulator, electrodes, TMG sensor, and user interface.

  • Fig. 2. Tensiomyography record with parameters' definitions. (A) Basic principle of tensiomyography. Arrow: direction of muscle contraction. (B) Basic result of tensiomyograph. Tc: contraction time, Tr: relaxation time, Ts: sustain time, Dm: maximal displacement, Td: delay time.

  • Fig. 3. Representative tensiomyography records of bodybuilder and control groups. (A, B) Biceps femoris. (C, D) Rectus femoris.


Cited by  2 articles

Analysis of Contractile Properties in Gastrocnemius, Tibialis Anterior Muscle of Amateur Male Soccer Players Using Tensiomyography
Sam-Jun Lee, Hyun-Seok Bang, Boo-Geun Hwang
Korean J Health Promot. 2019;19(2):114-120.    doi: 10.15384/kjhp.2019.19.2.114.

Evaluation of Reliability of Tensiomyography Measurement
Jung-Hoon Chai, Bo-Kyeong Kim, Hyuk-Jae Choi, Sang-Won Bae
Korean J Sports Med. 2018;36(3):143-148.    doi: 10.5763/kjsm.2018.36.3.143.


Reference

References

1. McCall GE, Byrnes WC, Dickinson A, Pattany PM, Fleck SJ. Muscle fiber hypertrophy, hyperplasia, and capillary density in college men after resistance training. J Appl Physiol (1985). 1996; 81:2004–12.
2. MacDougall JD, Ward GR, Sale DG, Sutton JR. Biochemical adaptation of human skeletal muscle to heavy resistance training and immobilization. J Appl Physiol Respir Environ Exerc Physiol. 1977; 43:700–3.
Article
3. Gonyea W, Ericson GC, Bonde-Petersen F. Skeletal muscle fiber splitting induced by weight-lifting exercise in cats. Acta Physiol Scand. 1977; 99:105–9.
Article
4. MacDougall JD, Sale DG, Elder GC, Sutton JR. Muscle ultrastructural characteristics of elite powerlifters and bodybuilders. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol. 1982; 48:117–26.
Article
5. Kim C, Chai JH, Kim BK, Kim CH, Bae SW. A novel method for the assessment of muscle injuries. Korean J Sports Med. 2015; 33:59–66.
Article
6. Ekstrand J, Healy JC, Walden M, Lee JC, English B, Hagglund M. Hamstring muscle injuries in professional football: the correlation of MRI findings with return to play. Br J Sports Med. 2012; 46:112–7.
Article
7. Ma MY. MMG sensor for muscle activity detection: low cost design, implementation and experimentation [dissertation]. Auckland: Massey University;2009.
8. Garcia-Manso JM, Rodriguez-Ruiz D, Rodriguez-Matoso D, de Saa Y, Sarmiento S, Quiroga M. Assessment of muscle fatigue after an ultra-endurance triathlon using tensiomyography (TMG). J Sports Sci. 2011; 29:619–25.
9. Rey E, Lago-Penas C, Lago-Ballesteros J, Casais L. The effect of recovery strategies on contractile properties using tensiomyography and perceived muscle soreness in professional soccer players. J Strength Cond Res. 2012; 26:3081–8.
Article
10. Garcia-Garcia O. Preseason neuromuscular profile of knee extensor and flexor muscles in elite amateur road cyclist's assessment through tensiomyography. Ann Sports Med Res. 2015; 2:1024.
11. Gil S, Loturco I, Tricoli V, et al. Tensiomyography parameters and jumping and sprinting performance in Brazilian elite soccer players. Sports Biomech. 2015; 14:340–50.
Article
12. Dahmane R, Valen i V, Knez N, Er en I. Evaluation of the ability to make non-invasive estimation of muscle contractile properties on the basis of the muscle belly response. Med Biol Eng Comput. 2001; 39:51–5.
Article
13. Pisot R, Narici MV, Simunic B, et al. Whole muscle contractile parameters and thickness loss during 35-day bed rest. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2008; 104:409–14.
Article
14. Garcia-Manso JM, Rodriguez-Matoso D, Sarmiento S, et al. Effect of high-load and high-volume resistance exercise on the tensiomyographic twitch response of biceps brachii. J Electromyogr Kinesiol. 2012; 22:612–9.
15. Rodriguez-Ruiz D, Garcia-Manso JM, Rodriguez-Matoso D, Sarmiento S, Da Silva-Grigoletto M, Pisot R. Effects of age and physical activity on response speed in knee flexor and extensor muscles. Eur Rev Aging Phys Act. 2013; 10:127–32.
Article
16. Evetovich TK, Housh TJ, Stout JR, Johnson GO, Smith DB, Ebersole KT. Mechanomyographic responses to concentric isokinetic muscle contractions. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol. 1997; 75:166–9.
Article
17. Valencic V, Knez N, Simunic B. Tenziomiography: detection of skeletal muscle response by means of radial muscle belly displacement. Biomed Eng. 2001; 1:1–10.
18. Dahmane R, Djordjevic S, Simunic B, Valencic V. Spatial fiber type distribution in normal human muscle Histochemical and tensiomyographical evaluation. J Biomech. 2005; 38:2451–9.
19. Tesch PA, Larsson L. Muscle hypertrophy in bodybuilders. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol. 1982; 49:301–6.
Article
20. Jurimae J, Abernethy PJ, Quigley BM, Blake K, McEniery MT. Differences in muscle contractile characteristics among bodybuilders, endurance trainers and control subjects. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol. 1997; 75:357–62.
21. Kesidis N, Metaxas TI, Vrabas IS, et al. Myosin heavy chain isoform distribution in single fibres of bodybuilders. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2008; 103:579–83.
Article
22. Shoepe TC, Stelzer JE, Garner DP, Widrick JJ. Functional adaptability of muscle fibers to longterm resistance exercise. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2003; 35:944–51.
Article
23. Widrick JJ, Stelzer JE, Shoepe TC, Garner DP. Functional properties of human muscle fibers after short-term resistance exercise training. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2002; 283:R408–16.
24. D'Antona G, Lanfranconi F, Pellegrino MA, et al. Skeletal muscle hypertrophy and structure and function of skeletal muscle fibres in male body builders. J Physiol. 2006; 570:611–27.
25. Wickiewicz TL, Roy RR, Powell PL, Perrine JJ, Edgerton VR. Muscle architecture and force-velocity relationships in humans. J Appl Physiol Respir Environ Exerc Physiol. 1984; 57:435–43.
Article
26. Gray V, Rice CL, Garland SJ. Factors that influence muscle weakness following stroke and their clinical implications: a critical review. Physiother Can. 2012; 64:415–26.
Article
Full Text Links
  • KJSM
Actions
Cited
CITED
export Copy
Close
Share
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
Similar articles
Copyright © 2024 by Korean Association of Medical Journal Editors. All rights reserved.     E-mail: koreamed@kamje.or.kr