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. 2022 Dec 1;54(12):2138-2148.
doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000002999. Epub 2022 Sep 27.

The Muscle Morphology of Elite Female Sprint Running

Robert Miller, Thomas G Balshaw  1 , Garry J Massey  2 , Sumiaki Maeo  3 , Marcel B Lanza  4 , Bill Haug  1 , Michael Johnston, Sam J Allen  1 , Jonathan P Folland  1
Affiliations

The Muscle Morphology of Elite Female Sprint Running

Robert Miller et al. Med Sci Sports Exerc. .

Abstract

Introduction: A paucity of research exists examining the importance of muscle morphological and functional characteristics for elite female sprint performance.

Purpose: This study aimed to compare lower body muscle volumes and vertical jumping power between elite and subelite female sprinters and assess the relationships of these characteristics with sprint race and acceleration performance.

Methods: Five elite (100 m seasons best [SBE 100 ], 11.16 ± 0.06 s) and 17 subelite (SBE 100 , 11.84 ± 0.42 s) female sprinters underwent: 3T magnetic resonance imaging to determine the volume of 23 individual leg muscles/compartments and five functional muscle groups; countermovement jump and 30 m acceleration tests.

Results: Total absolute lower body muscle volume was higher in elite versus subelite sprinters (+15%). Elite females exhibited greater muscle volume of the hip flexors (absolute, +28%; relative [to body mass], +19%), hip extensors (absolute, +22%; relative, +14%), and knee extensors (absolute, +21%), demonstrating pronounced anatomically specific muscularity, with relative hip flexor volume alone explaining 48% of sprint performance variability. The relative volume of five individual muscles (sartorius, gluteus maximus, adductor magnus, vastus lateralis, illiopsoas) were both distinct between groups (elite > subelite) and related to SBE 100 ( r = 0.553-0.639), with the combination of the sartorius (41%) and the adductor magnus (17%) explaining 58% of the variance in SBE 100 . Elite female sprinters demonstrated greater absolute countermovement jump power versus subelite, and absolute and relative power were related to both SBE 100 ( r = -0.520 to -0.741) and acceleration performance ( r = 0.569 to 0.808).

Conclusions: This investigation illustrates the distinctive, anatomically specific muscle volume distribution that facilitates elite sprint running in females, and emphasizes the importance of hip flexor and extensor relative muscle volume.

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Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Percentage differences in absolute and relative muscle volumes of all muscles, five functional muscle groups and 23 individual muscles/compartments between elite (n = 5) and subelite (n = 17) female sprinters. A positive value indicates greater volume of elite sprinters. Muscle groups and individual muscles/compartments have been ordered according to the magnitude of percentage differences for absolute muscle volume.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
The relationships between season’s best 100 m time (SBE100) and (A) relative hip flexor volume, (B) relative plantarflexor volume, (C) CMJ relative peak power and (D) predicted SBE100 from the regression model using relative volume of the sartorius and adductor magnus (the dashed line represents x = y). Significant correlations: *P ≤ 0.05; **P ≤ 0.01; and ***P ≤ 0.001 following correction for multiple correlations.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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