Relationship between knee extensor and flexor muscle strength and age in professional volleyball players

ABSTRACT

We aimed to analyse the relationship of peak torque (PT) of the knee extensors (Ext) and flexors (Fle) with age, and the relationship between conventional ratio and age progression in volleyball players. A total of 41 elite male volleyball players (age: 25.0 ± 6.1 years, body mass: 93.0 ± 9.8 kg, height: 198.0 ± 6.8 cm) were evaluated in a isokinetic dynamometer at speeds of 60, 180 and 300 deg/s, and at dominant (D) and non-dominant (ND) legs. In general, the knee flexor and extensor muscles varied greatly among the athletes (from 81 to 156 N.m for flexors; from 116 to 250 N.m for extensors at 300 deg/s and at dominant side). The mass-specific PT of knee extensors showed strong and negative correlation with ageing at 60 and 180 deg/s (r = −0.52–0.62, p < 0.01). The conventional ratio showed regular and positive relationship at all evaluated velocities (60°.s⁻¹, r = 0.453, p < 0.01; 180°.s⁻¹, r = 0.498, p < 0.01; 300°.s⁻¹, r = 0.316, p = 0.04). The results demonstrated that volleyball players are susceptible to age-related effects on muscular performance during their career; this finding illustrates the importance of adopting training strategies to improve the production of strength in the lower limbs, which is essential for vertical jumps.

KEYWORDS:

• Team sport
• performance
• isokinetic
• peak of torque

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the Locomotion Group and Aquatic and Terrestrial Activities Group of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul for discussions and comments. L.A. Peyré-Tartaruga and L.F. M. Kruel are established investigator of the Brazilian Research Council (CNPq), Brasília, Brazil.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) acknowledge financial support from Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES), and from Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq).