Muscular architecture involves the organization of fibres in the muscle and is one of the most important factors of muscular function. Studies have demonstrated an association with muscular architecture and contraction, with an increase of the pen nation angle in muscles. The aim of the study was to evaluate the change of muscular pennation angle after therapy with warm thermal water (crenotherapy). Participants: 45 amateur athletes undertaking different sporting activities; Group A: 30 runners; Group B: 15 swimmers. All the athletes underwent muscular ultrasound and clinical examination before and after the 10 sessions of the thermal protocol. At baseline the groups showed different values of pen nation angle (group A = 19.1° ± 3.8° vs group B = 16.7° ± 2.4°; p= 0.05). Following the thermal therapy protocol, significant variation of pennation angle was detected at rest in Group A which had significantly lower values than before the treatment (17.5° ± 2.9°; p= 0.01). No differences were detected in group B. Conclusions: thermal therapy induced the greatest effect on runners (Group A) as pen nation angle at rest was significantly lower after the period of crenotherapy and this variation may be as a result of a smaller muscular contracture.
Changes in muscular pennation angle after crenotherapy
RASTRELLI, Luca
2013-01-01
Abstract
Muscular architecture involves the organization of fibres in the muscle and is one of the most important factors of muscular function. Studies have demonstrated an association with muscular architecture and contraction, with an increase of the pen nation angle in muscles. The aim of the study was to evaluate the change of muscular pennation angle after therapy with warm thermal water (crenotherapy). Participants: 45 amateur athletes undertaking different sporting activities; Group A: 30 runners; Group B: 15 swimmers. All the athletes underwent muscular ultrasound and clinical examination before and after the 10 sessions of the thermal protocol. At baseline the groups showed different values of pen nation angle (group A = 19.1° ± 3.8° vs group B = 16.7° ± 2.4°; p= 0.05). Following the thermal therapy protocol, significant variation of pennation angle was detected at rest in Group A which had significantly lower values than before the treatment (17.5° ± 2.9°; p= 0.01). No differences were detected in group B. Conclusions: thermal therapy induced the greatest effect on runners (Group A) as pen nation angle at rest was significantly lower after the period of crenotherapy and this variation may be as a result of a smaller muscular contracture.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
