Comparison Of Lower Leg Morphology And Stretch-Shortening Cycle Capabilities Between Dancers And Volleyball Players

ASU Author/Contributor (non-ASU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Paige Elizabeth Rice (Creator)
Institution
Appalachian State University (ASU )
Web Site: https://library.appstate.edu/
Advisor
Jeffrey M. McBride

Abstract: The stretch-shortening (SSC) cycle is the active storing elastic strain energy during the lengthening of the muscle-tendon unit that is subsequently utilized during the active shortening of the muscle-tendon unit known as elastic recoil. Athletes that habitually perform SSC actions, such as dancers and volleyball players, might possess preferable lower leg morphology, maximal strength and ballistic abilities that optimize performance. However, no known research has compared these physiological and biomechanical characteristic to SSC performance between aesthetic athletes and sport athletes. Healthy female dancers, volleyball players and untrained individuals were recruited for this study. Subjects underwent a right and left lower leg scan using peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT). Subjects then performed three maximal voluntary isometric plantarflexions (MVIP) on a custom-made inclined sled equipped with dual force plates at 20° for peak force measurements relative to body mass. Subjects lastly performed three countermovement hops (CMH) and three drop hops (DH) at 20cm (DH20), 30cm (DH30) and 40cm (DH40) on the sled. Dancers had significantly (p = 0.05) larger relative right and left lower leg muscle CSA and MVIP values in comparison to untrained controls. Dancers also had significantly greater relative concentric peak force, relative concentric peak power and hopped significantly higher than untrained controls during the CMH. Relative concentric impulse and hop height were significantly higher in dancers than untrained controls during all DH conditions. Volleyball players hopped significantly higher during all DH conditions when compared to untrained controls. This investigation provides evidence that dance may be a stimulus for muscular adaptations, relative strength levels and enhanced SSC capabilities.

Additional Information

Publication
Thesis
Rice, P. (2017). "Comparison Of Lower Leg Morphology And Stretch-Shortening Cycle Capabilities Between Dancers And Volleyball Players." Unpublished Master’s Thesis. Appalachian State University, Boone, NC.
Language: English
Date: 2017
Keywords
Hopping, Muscle, Strength, Biomechanics

Email this document to