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Muscle Quality Index and Health

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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Exercise and Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (21 August 2023) | Viewed by 22899

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Luis Javier Chirosa Ríos

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Guest Editor

Department Physical Education and Sports, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Granada, 1807 Granada1, Spain
Interests: handball; performance analysis in sport
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Daniel Jerez-Mayorga

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Co-Guest Editor

Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences, Universidad Andres Bello, Concepción 7591538, Chile
Interests: muscle quality; resistance training; muscle function; functional electromechanical dynamometry
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Pedro Delgado-Floody

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Co-Guest Editor

1. Department of Physical Education, Sport and Recreation, University of La Frontera, Temuco 4811230, Chile
2. Strength & Conditioning Laboratory, CTS-642 Research Group, University of Granada, 18011 Granada, Spain
Interests: physical activity; lifestyle; physical exercise intervention; mental health; academic achievements
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Over the years, the skeletal muscle system undergoes alterations that cause strength, mass, and especially muscle quality to decrease. The concept of muscle quality is relatively new in the scientific field: in itself, it describes the physiological functional capacity of muscle tissue, including aspects of the anatomical structure, composition, and mechanical and metabolic performance of the muscle. Muscle quality is directly associated with the strength exercised by the amount of muscle mass. Currently, there are four dimensions of muscle quality that influence the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of it; they are composition, architecture, and muscle ultrastructure, in addition to the basic functional unit that is the sarcomere. It has been seen that muscle quality can be a tool that provides a diagnosis of physical performance in addition to being a predictor of the physical function of the lower extremities in men and women. A loss of muscle quality can lead to deficiencies in motor control and balance which will affect, for example, the increased risk of falls, these being one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality in the adult population.

The aim of this Special Issue is to provide new knowledge about muscle quality and its relationship to physical fitness. The priorities of this Special Issue are: (I) intervention studies in which the effect of strength training on muscle quality has been evaluated; (II) cross-sectional studies that determine the relationship between the muscle quality index and physical fitness; and (III) studies that explore the reliability and validity of new devices that evaluate muscle quality.

Prof. Dr. Luis Javier Chirosa Ríos
Dr. Daniel Jerez-Mayorga
Dr. Pedro Delgado-Floody
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

muscle quality index
muscle quality
resistance training
muscle function
muscle architecture
physical activity and health
power
technology
force, muscle composition

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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9 pages, 1678 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Unilateral and Bilateral Post-Activation Performance Enhancement on Jump Performance and Agility

by Alejandro Escobar Hincapié, Carlos Alberto Agudelo Velásquez, Mariluz Ortiz Uribe, Camilo Andrés García Torres and Andrés Rojas Jaramillo

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(19), 10154; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph181910154 - 27 Sep 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2994

Abstract

This study aimed to compare the effects of the post-activation performance enhancement (PAPE) of two different types of warm-ups, unilateral and bilateral, on the performance in vertical jumping and agility of healthy subjects with strength training experience. In the study, 17 subjects (12 men and 5 women) performed two different PAPE protocols: unilateral squat (UT) and bilateral squat (BT). The height of the subjects’ countermovement jump (CMJ) and the subjects’ time to perform the T-agility test (TAT) were measured before and after executing the PAPE warm-up. The squats were performed at a velocity of 0.59 m·s⁻¹ with three sets of three repetitions, with a 3-min rest between sets and a 5-min rest after both uni- and bilateral PAPE warm-ups before taking the tests again. For statistical analysis, we applied ANOVA and calculated the effect size. The results showed that the PAPE for each case decreased the CMJ height but generated significant improvements in the total time taken for the T-agility test (p < 0.01); however, in both cases, the effect sizes were trivial. In conclusion, it is possible to observe that the PAPE, performed both unilaterally and bilaterally, negatively affects the performance in the vertical jump, showing moderate effect sizes. However, both PAPE protocols show performance benefits in agility tests, with a large effect size for the unilateral protocol and moderate for the bilateral protocol. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Muscle Quality Index and Health)

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10 pages, 1110 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Phase Angle Is a Marker of Muscle Quantity and Strength in Overweight/Obese Former Athletes

by Catarina N. Matias, Francesco Campa, Catarina L. Nunes, Rubén Francisco, Filipe Jesus, Miguel Cardoso, Maria J. Valamatos, Pedro Mil Homens, Luís B. Sardinha, Paulo Martins, Cláudia Minderico and Analiza M. Silva

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(12), 6649; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18126649 - 21 Jun 2021

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2715

Abstract

Background: An increasing body of evidence indicates that the phase angle (PhA) can be applied as a marker of nutritional status, disease prognosis, and mortality probability. Still, it is not known whether PhA can be used as an indicator of muscular quantity and strength and maximal aerobic capacity in overweight/obese former highly active individuals, an understudied population. This study aimed to analyze the association between PhA with skeletal muscle mass, maximal isometric strength, and maximal aerobic capacity through VO2max, in overweight/obese and inactive former athletes. Methods: Cross-sectional information of 94 (62 males) former adult athletes (age: 43.1 ± 9.4 years old; body mass index: 31.4 ± 4.8 kg/m²) taking part in a weight-loss clinical trial was analyzed. Total fat and fat-free mass were determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, while skeletal muscle mass was predicted from appendicular lean soft tissue. Values for upper- and lower-body maximal isometric strength were assessed by handgrip and leg press dynamometry. VO2max was determined by indirect calorimetry through a graded exercise test performed on a treadmill. Results: PhA was associated with skeletal muscle mass (r = 0.564, p < 0.001), upper-body strength (r = 0.556, p < 0.001), lower-body strength (r = 0.422, p < 0.001), and VO2max (r = 0.328, p = 0.013). These relationships remained significant for skeletal muscle mass (β = 2.158, p = 0.001), maximal isometric strength (upper-body: β = 2.846, p = 0.012; low-er-body: β = 24.209, p = 0.041) after adjusting for age, sex, and fat mass but not for VO2max (β = −0.163, p = 0.098). Conclusion: Our findings indicated that former athletes with higher values of PhA exhibited greater muscle mass and strength, despite sex, age, and body composition, which suggests that this simple raw BI parameter can be utilized as an indicator of muscle quantity and functionality in overweight/obese former athletes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Muscle Quality Index and Health)

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13 pages, 2069 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Reliability of Low-Cost Near-Infrared Spectroscopy in the Determination of Muscular Oxygen Saturation and Hemoglobin Concentration during Rest, Isometric and Dynamic Strength Activity

by Claudia Miranda-Fuentes, Isabel María Guisado-Requena, Pedro Delgado-Floody, Leonidas Arias-Poblete, Alejandro Pérez-Castilla, Daniel Jerez-Mayorga and Luis Javier Chirosa-Rios

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(23), 8824; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17238824 - 27 Nov 2020

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3031

Abstract

Background: The objective of this study was to establish the reliability of the Humon Hex near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) in determining muscle oxygen saturation (SmO₂) and hemoglobin concentration (Hgb) at rest and during isometric and dynamic strength exercises using a functional electromechanical dynamometer (FEMD). Methods: The SmO₂ and Hgb values of sixteen healthy adults (mean ± standard deviation (SD): Age = 36.1 ± 6.4 years) were recorded at rest and during isometry (8 s), dynamic strength I (initial load of 40% of the average isometric load, with 2 kg increments until muscle failure) and dynamic strength II (same as I, but with an initial load of 40% of the maximum isometric load) activity. To evaluate the reliability in the determination of SmO₂ and Hgb of this device, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), standard error of measurement (SEM) and coefficient of variation (CV) were obtained. Results: The main results obtained are SmO₂ at rest (CV = 5.76%, SEM = 3.81, ICC = 0.90), isometric strength (CV = 3.03%, SEM = 2.08, ICC = 0.92), dynamic strength I (CV = 10.6, SEM = 7.17, ICC = 0.22) and dynamic strength II (CV = 9.69, SEM = 6.75, ICC = 0.32); Hgb at rest (CV = 1.97%, SEM = 0.24, ICC = 0.65), isometric strength (CV = 0.98%, SEM = 0.12, ICC = 0.96), dynamic strength I (CV = 3.25, SEM = 0.40, ICC = 0.54) and dynamic strength II (CV = 2.74, SEM = 0.34, ICC = 0.65). Conclusions: The study shows that Humon Hex is a reliable device to obtain SmO₂ and Hgb data in healthy adult subjects at rest and during isometric strength, providing precision for measurements made with this device. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Muscle Quality Index and Health)

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Review

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27 pages, 766 KiB

Open AccessReview

Effect of Blood Flow Restriction on Functional, Physiological and Structural Variables of Muscle in Patients with Chronic Pathologies: A Systematic Review

by Álvaro Jesús Reina-Ruiz, Alejandro Galán-Mercant, Guadalupe Molina-Torres, Jose Antonio Merchán-Baeza, Rita Pilar Romero-Galisteo and Manuel González-Sánchez

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(3), 1160; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19031160 - 20 Jan 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3102

Abstract

The main objective of this systematic review of the current literature is to analyze the changes that blood flow restriction (BFR) causes in subjects with neuro-musculoskeletal and/or systemic pathologies focusing on the following variables: strength, physiological changes, structural changes and cardiocirculatory variables. The search was carried out in seven databases, including randomized clinical trials in which therapeutic exercise was combined with the blood flow restriction tool in populations with musculoskeletal pathologies. Outcome variables are strength, structural changes, physiological changes and cardiocirculatory variables. Twenty studies were included in the present study. Although there is a lot of heterogeneity between the interventions and evaluation instruments, we observed how the restriction of blood flow presents significant differences in the vast majority of the variables analyzed. In addition, we observed how BFR can become a supplement that provides benefits when performed with low intensity, similar to those obtained through high-intensity muscular efforts. The application of the BFR technique can provide benefits in the short and medium term to increase strength, muscle thickness and cardiovascular endurance, even improving the physiological level of the cardiovascular system. In addition, BFR combined with low-load exercises also achieves benefits comparable to high-intensity exercises without the application of BFR, benefiting patients who are unable to lift high loads. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Muscle Quality Index and Health)

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13 pages, 3345 KiB

Open AccessReview

Absolute Reliability and Concurrent Validity of Hand-Held Dynamometry in Shoulder Rotator Strength Assessment: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

by Claudio Chamorro, Miguel Arancibia, Benjamín Trigo, Leónidas Arias-Poblete and Daniel Jerez-Mayorga

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(17), 9293; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18179293 - 03 Sep 2021

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4886

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to establish the absolute reliability between hand-held dynamometers (HHDs) and concurrent validity between HHDs and isokinetic dynamometers (IDs) in shoulder rotator strength assessment. The Medline, CINAHL, and Central databases were searched for relevant studies up to July 2020. Absolute reliability was determined by test–retest studies presenting standard error of measurement (SEM%) and/or minimal detectable change (MDC%) expressed as percentage of the mean. Studies considering intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) between IDs and HHDs were considered for concurrent validity. The risk of bias and the methodological quality were evaluated according to COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN). Thirteen studies were included in the meta-analysis. Shoulder internal rotator strength assessment MDC% was 0.78%, 95% confidence interval (CI) −5.21 to 3.66, while shoulder external rotators MDC% was 3.29%, CI −2.69 to 9.27. ICC between devices was 0.94, CI (0.91 to 0.96) for shoulder internal rotators and 0.92, IC (0.88 to 0.97) for shoulder external rotators. Very high correlation was found for shoulder rotator torque assessment between HHDs and IDs. The COSMIN checklist classified the selected studies as adequate and inadequate. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Muscle Quality Index and Health)

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11 pages, 665 KiB

Open AccessReview

Changes in Muscle Oxygen Saturation Measured Using Wireless Near-Infrared Spectroscopy in Resistance Training: A Systematic Review

by Claudia Miranda-Fuentes, Luis Javier Chirosa-Ríos, Isabel María Guisado-Requena, Pedro Delgado-Floody and Daniel Jerez-Mayorga

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(8), 4293; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18084293 - 18 Apr 2021

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 4303

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to report, through a systematic review of the literature, the baseline and final reference values obtained by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) of muscle oxygen saturation (SmO₂) during resistance training in healthy adults. Methods: Original research studies were searched from four databases (Scopus, PubMed, WOS, and SportDiscus). Subsequently, three independent reviewers screened the titles and abstracts, followed by full-text reviews to assess the studies’ eligibility. Results: Four studies met the inclusion criteria, data were extracted and methodological quality was assessed using the Downs and Black scale. Muscle oxygen saturation (% SmO2) during reported muscle strength exercises showed a decreasing trend after a muscle strength protocol; that is, before the protocol (range = 68.07–77.9%) and after (range = 9.50–46.09%). Conclusions: The trend of the SmO₂ variables is to decrease after a muscle strength protocol. Studies are lacking that allow expanding the use of these devices during this type of training. Full article

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