Movement Strategies for Countermovement Jumping are Potentially Influenced by Elastic Energy Stored and Released from Tendons

Logan Wade,Glen Lichtwark,Dominic James Farris

doi:10.1038/s41598-018-20387-0

Logan Wade, Glen Lichtwark + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-20387-0

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Journal: Scientific Reports	Publication Date: Feb 2, 2018
Citations: 24	License type: open-access

Affiliation: University of Queensland, University of Exeter

Abstract

The preferred movement strategies that humans choose to produce work for movement are not fully understood. Previous studies have demonstrated an important contribution of elastic energy stored within the Achilles tendon (AT) during jumping. This study aimed to alter energy available for storage in the AT to examine changes in how jumpers distribute work among lower limb joints. Participants (n = 16) performed maximal and sub-maximal jumps under two paradigms, matched for increasing total work output by manipulating jump height or adding body mass. Motion capture and ground reaction force data were combined in an inverse dynamics analysis to compute ankle, knee and hip joint kinetics. Results demonstrated higher peak moments about the ankle joint with added body mass (+26 Nm), likely resulting in additional energy storage in the AT. Work at the ankle joint increased proportionally with added mass, maintaining a constant contribution (~64%) to total work that was not matched with increasing jump height (−14%). This implies greater energy storage and return by the AT with added mass but not with increased height. When total work during jumping is constant but energy stored in tendons is not, humans prioritise the use of stored elastic energy over muscle work.

Highlights

Stress[20] and minimizing metabolic energy consumption[21]
Based on Vanrenterghem et al.[1] it was expected that increasing work via greater jump heights would require increased work contributions of the proximal joints, while ankle moments and elastic energy stored within the series elastic element (SEE) of the triceps surae remain constant
We hypothesised that increasing total work via increased jump height in the Jump Height Paradigm (JHP) would result in participants adopting a movement strategy that favoured contributions at proximal joints, whereas equivalent increases in total work via increased body mass would result in a movement strategy that relied more on work at the ankle joint

Summary

Introduction

Stress[20] and minimizing metabolic energy consumption[21]. During sub-maximal and maximal jumping, the primary influential factor that dictates which movement strategy is employed is the required jump height. Vanrenterghem et al.[1] proposed movement effectiveness to minimise energy expenditure as a secondary influential factor for sub-maximal jumping They concluded that during sub-maximal jumping to increasing jump heights, countermovement depth and rotation of large proximal segments were increased while contribution of work at the ankle was decreased[1]. Based on Vanrenterghem et al.[1] it was expected that increasing work via greater jump heights would require increased work contributions of the proximal joints, while ankle moments and elastic energy stored within the SEE of the triceps surae remain constant. We hypothesised that increasing total work via increased jump height in the JHP would result in participants adopting a movement strategy that favoured contributions at proximal joints, whereas equivalent increases in total work via increased body mass would result in a movement strategy that relied more on work at the ankle joint

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