The eccentric/concentric ratio of quadriceps femoris in sprinters and normals

Eccentric muscle activation has been found to play an important role in athletic pursuits. Interest in the biomechanics of performance has led increasingly to the examination of muscle action. The concentric/eccentric ratio of a muscle may be altered by activity, which led to our purpose of determining if the ratio of concentric to eccentric activation of the quadriceps femoris differs between sprint-type athletes and individuals of normal activity level. Eight sprinters and 10 normal individuals were evaluated on a KinCom dynamometer at 180 deg/sec in both concentric and eccentric maximal efforts. We found no significant difference in the concentric/eccentric ratio (0.78 sprinters versus 0.75 normals) of these two groups. Implications for the clinician and further research were discussed.