The effects of gradient running on lower limb skeletal muscle function parameters measured using TMG100 tensiomyography system

• Main Author: Sek, Qin Rui
• Other Authors: -
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2022
• Subjects: Science::General
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/162641
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Gradient running (GR) has become popular as a form of training, due to the benefits it brings. Tensiomyography (TMG) is a non-invasive method of assessing the contractile properties of a muscle, but has not been used to study the effects of an acute bout of GR. This study aimed to compare the effects of uphill running (UHR) and downhill running (DHR) against level running (LR) using the TMG100 system. 12 male competitive athletes in running based sports (Aged 24.8 ± 1.91) participated in this randomized crossover study. Participants were exposed to LR in the first session and either UHR or DHR on the next two separate sessions, with TMG variables (Tc, Dm, Tr, Ts and Td) being recorded at the start of the experiment and a day after each session. Friedman’s ANOVA was performed and found that Td of the rectus femoris (RF) was the only variable that differed statistically significantly (χ2 (3) = 13.10, p=0.004). Mean RF Td values decreased by 2.05ms from Baseline (27.39 ±4.68) to UHR (25.34 ±3.10), and decreased by 3.00ms and 4.35ms from LR (29.69±7.27) to DHR (26.69±5.54) and UHR (25.34±3.10) respectively. Conover’s post hoc pairwise comparisons found significant differences between RF Td between LR, DHR and UHR. The results of this study suggest that LR is less fatiguing than UHR and DHR, which goes against existing literature. Therefore, it is suggested that errors were made when conducting the experiment and future studies are needed to reassess the effects of GR on TMG readings.