Abstract des Autors

This study assessed maximum eccentric (ECC) and concentric (CON) torque of quadriceps (QUAD) and hamstring (HAM) muscle groups in healthy females (n = 13) and males (n = 27). Peak torques (PT) of bilateral muscle actions were recorded at constant angular velocities of 0.52, 1.57 and 2.61 rad/s. The QUADcon and HAMcon PT decreased with increasing angular velocity. The QUADecc and HAMecc PT increased in females, whereas QUADecc PT decreased and HAMecc PT showed no change in males. In general, ECC PT was higher than CON PT and QUAD PT was higher than HAM PT, for any given angular velocity. Males displayed higher PT than females but when PT were adjusted for body mass the sex differences in QUADcon and HAMcon were reduced, whereas the differences in QUADecc and HAMecc were abolished. The CON and ECC PT were, on average, 60 and 411 greater, respectively, in males than in females. The corresponding differences, when adjusted for body mass, were 23 and 8. ECC:CON PT for QUAD were higher in females than in males. CON and ECC HAM:QUAD PT ratio increased, as a function of velocity. This study suggests, that bilateral ECC PT is higher than CON PT and CON HAM:QUAD PT ratio is higher than ECC HAM:QUAD PT ratio. Moreover, females and males display different ECC torque-velocity patterns, whereas CON torque velocity patterns are similar and females possess greater QUADecc PT relative to QUADcon PT than males.