Relationship between latent trigger points, lower limb asymmetry and muscle fatigue in elite short-track athletes

BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation

Research

Przemysław Domaszewski¹  Elżbieta Skorupska²  Pablo Herrero³  Paweł Pakosz⁴  Marta Skulska⁴  Mariusz Konieczny⁴ 

[1]Department of Health Sciences, Institute of Health Sciences, University of Opole, Katowicka 68, 45-060, Opole, Poland

[2]Department of Physiotherapy, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-701, Poznan, Poland

[3]Faculty of Health Sciences, IIS Aragon, University of Zaragoza, Domingo Miral, s/n, 50009, Zaragoza, Spain

[4]Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy, Opole University of Technology, Prószkowska 76, 45-068, Opole, Poland

关键词: Myofascial pain;    Electromyography;    Ground reaction force;    Elite athletes;    Body balance;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s13102-023-00719-y

 received in 2023-04-17, accepted in 2023-08-29,  发布年份 2023

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundShort-track speed skating movement involves asymmetric overloading of the lower left side of the body. The gluteus maximus fatigue limits the physical and mental athletic capacity to perform set tasks. A possible link between the presence of latent trigger points (LTrPs) and muscle fatigue development/persistence has been posited. The aim of the study was to determine whether elite short-track speed skating can result in the impairment of the musculoskeletal system of the lower limbs.MethodsElite short-track athletes as the experimental group (EXP) = 9, 19.5 ± 1.8 years, and healthy subjects as the control group (CON) = 18, 20.8 ± 1.2 years, were tested for: (i) lower limb loading asymmetry using ground reaction force (GRF) measurements during quiet standing, (ii) gluteus maximus fatigue measured with surface electromyography (sEMG) during the Biering-Sorensen test, and (iii) LTrPs presence in the 14 examined muscles of the pelvic girdle and lower limbs.ResultsThere were between-group differences in the number of LTrPs, with the EXP group (left lower limb (LLL) n = 18, right lower limb (RLL) n = 9) showing more LTrPs compared to the CON group (LLL n = 2, RLL n = 1), (p < 0.001), and within-group differences in the EXP group only (p < 0.001). There were also significant differences in muscle fatigue for the left side (p < 0.001) both between the groups and within the EXP group (p ≤ 0.001). The vertical ground reaction force (GRF) measurement showed a loading rate of 2% (p = 0.013) in the athletes’ LLL exclusively.ConclusionsThe study confirmed an increased prevalence of LTrPs, increased muscle fatigue and left-sided limb load asymmetry in elite short-track athletes.Trial registrationThe study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and approved by the Ethics Committee of the Poznan University of Medical Sciences (Resolution No 110/22 of 10 March 2022). Trial registration: 20/07/2022, Trial Id: ACTRN12622001016729.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature 2023

【 图 表 】

Fig. 2