The relationship between elastography-based muscle properties and vertical jump performance, countermovement utilization ratio, and rate of force development

This study explored the relationships between passive muscle stiffness (shear modulus) and vertical jumping performance, countermovement utilization ratio (CUR) and rate of force development (RFD) in an attempt to unravel the mechanism that may explain the association between shear modulus and performance. 32 recreationally active participants (16 males, 16 females; age: 22.4 ± 5.1 years) participated. Shear modulus was assessed for the lateral and medial gastrocnemius (GL and GM), and vastus medialis (VM) and lateralis (VL) muscles using shear wave elastography. Squat jump (SJ) and countermovement (CMJ) jump were determined, with CUR being expressed as the ratio between the two. RFD in ankle and knee extension tasks was measured using isometric dynamometers. Our results suggest that within a heterogeneous group of recreational athletes, passive muscle stiffness is not related to RFD and jump performance, but positively related to CUR. In males, shear modulus of the GL was positively related to SJ height (r = 0.55). We also found inverse moderate correlations between VL and VM shear modulus and RFD in females only (r = –0.50 to –0.51), but this relationship was possibly affected by age and body fat content. Different mechanisms may underpin the association between shear modulus and performance depending on the muscle, task and population investigated.