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Do muscles function as adaptable locomotor springs?

Stan L. Lindstedt^1,*, Trude E. Reich¹, Paul Keim¹ and Paul C. LaStayo²

¹ Physiology and Functional Morphology Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011-5640, USA
² Department of Physical Therapy, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011-5640, USA

View larger version (10K): [in a new window]   Fig. 1. When subjects were asked to hop in place at a `comfortable frequency', they chose a highly reproducible body-size-dependent frequency. After 8 weeks of high-force eccentric training, all experimental subjects (N=7) hopped at a higher frequency while the concentrically trained controls (N=6) showed no change in frequency. Values are means + S.E.M. NS, not significant.

View larger version (11K): [in a new window]   Fig. 2. A group of high school basketball players engaged in either high-force eccentric training or traditional weight-lifting for 6 weeks. Following the training period, all the eccentrically trained subjects (N=6) increased their maximum jump height but none of the control subjects (N=6) did so. Jump height is defined as the maximum height achieved in three jump attempts. Values are means + S.E.M. NS, not significant.

View larger version (46K): [in a new window]   Fig. 3. SDS—PAGE analysis of titin isoform expression in quadriceps (vastus) muscles of cow, dog, rabbit and mouse. Cow vastus appears to express three titin bands, while dog, rabbit and mouse each express two. Looking at the most abundant isoform within each muscle type, there is a noticeable shift in expression from the largest, and hence most compliant, isoform (in the cow) to the smallest, stiffest isoform (in the mouse). The lowest mobility band present in each lane is nebulin (780 kDa).