DO RESPIRATORY MUSCLES EXHIBIT SIMILAR ADAPTIVE PROPERTIES TO LOWER LIMB MUSCLES IN RESPONSE TO CHRONIC TRAINING? A CROSS-SECTIONAL COMPARISON BETWEEN BASKETBALL PLAYERS AND CYCLISTS

Анотація

Introduction. Previous studies have shown that elite athletes who undergo intensive exercise training have distinct morphological and mechanical qualities in their muscle- tendon units (MTUs). Changes in musculotendinous morphology affect muscle contraction and, in turn, physical performance. Therefore, repeated exposure to specific exercise training can alter the structure of the MTUs, leading to specific functional adaptations.
The main goal of the study was to investigate whether different types of chronic training, like basketball and cycling, can induce not only specific adaptations in the lower limb MTUs but also in the structural and functional characteristics of the respiratory muscles.
Methods. Thirty-two male athletes (cyclists n=16, and basketball players n=16) voluntarily participated in the study. First, anthropometric parameters were measured, followed by musculoskeletal ultrasound images of specific muscles taken one at a time: vastus lateralis (VL), gastrocnemius medialis/lateralis (GM/GL), and different breathing phases of the diaphragm. Next, participants underwent maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) and passive resistive torque tests for the knee extensors and plantar flexors. Finally, subjects completed a respiratory muscles strength protocol, which included maximum inspiratory/expiratory tests (MIP/MEP) and spirometry.