Academic Journal
Repeated stretch-shortening cycles enhance force and work despite brief deactivation between cycles.
| Τίτλος: | Repeated stretch-shortening cycles enhance force and work despite brief deactivation between cycles. |
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| Συγγραφείς: | Elst T; Motion and Exercise Science, University of Stuttgart, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany., Weidner S; Motion and Exercise Science, University of Stuttgart, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany., Tomalka A; Motion and Exercise Science, University of Stuttgart, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany., Hahn D; Human Movement Science, Faculty of Sports Science, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany.; School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4067, Australia., Seiberl W; Human Movement Science, University of the Bundeswehr Munich, 85579 Neubiberg, Germany., Paternoster FK; Biomechanics in Sports, Department of Sport and Health Sciences, Technical University of Munich, 80809 Munich, Germany., Siebert T; Motion and Exercise Science, University of Stuttgart, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany.; Stuttgart Center for Simulation Science, University of Stuttgart, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany. |
| Πηγή: | The Journal of experimental biology [J Exp Biol] 2026 Oct 01; Vol. 229 (19). Date of Electronic Publication: 2026 Oct 09. |
| Τύπος έκδοσης: | Journal Article |
| Γλώσσα: | English |
| Στοιχεία περιοδικού: | Publisher: Company Of Biologists Limited Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 0243705 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1477-9145 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 00220949 NLM ISO Abbreviation: J Exp Biol Subsets: MEDLINE |
| Imprint Name(s): | Publication: London : Company Of Biologists Limited Original Publication: London, Cambridge Univ. Press. |
| Ιατρικοί όροι (MeSH): | Muscle, Skeletal*/physiology , Isometric Contraction*/physiology , Muscle Contraction*/physiology, Heterocyclic Compounds, 4 or More Rings/pharmacology ; Muscle Fibers, Skeletal/physiology ; Animals ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Rats ; Male |
| Περίληψη: | Stretch-shortening cycles (SSCs) enhance force and mechanical work compared with pure shortening contractions and are fundamental to locomotion. Although SSC mechanics are well studied, it remains unclear whether mechanical cycle-to-cycle carryover effects persist across repeated SSCs despite brief deactivation or inhibition of cross-bridge (XB) force production. To address this, single-skinned fibres from rat extensor digitorum longus muscles (n=21) underwent three consecutive SSCs at a slow velocity (1% maximal shortening velocity). Fibres were activated isometrically for 20 s before SSC1, whereas SSC2 and SSC3 were each preceded by 4 s of deactivation followed by 20 s of isometric activation. Experiments were performed under control conditions and with blebbistatin to inhibit XB force production. Repeated SSCs produced progressive performance enhancements under both conditions despite brief deactivation. From SSC1 to SSC3, peak force (Fpeak) increased by 14.6% and total SSC work (WorkSSC) by 50.1% under control conditions, and by 37.5% and 67.6%, respectively, with blebbistatin. Increased short-range stiffness under control conditions suggests XB-mediated stretch resistance, whereas persistent increases during XB inhibition indicate contributions from non-XB structures, particularly titin. These findings support a sarcomeric memory effect that enhances stretch resistance and work during repeated SSCs. (© 2026. Published by The Company of Biologists.) |
| Competing Interests: | Competing interests The authors declare no competing or financial interests. |
| Grant Information: | 354863464 Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft; 390740016 Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft; EXC 2075-390740016 Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft; Universität Stuttgart |
| Contributed Indexing: | Keywords: Blebbistatin; History dependence; Mechanosensing; Muscle stretching; Performance enhancement; Stretch–shortening cycle |
| Substance Nomenclature: | 0 (Heterocyclic Compounds, 4 or More Rings) 20WC4J7CQ6 (blebbistatin) |
| Entry Date(s): | Date Created: 20260914 Date Completed: 20261009 Latest Revision: 20261009 |
| Update Code: | 20261009 |
| DOI: | 10.1242/jeb.252866 |
| PMID: | 42733947 |
| Βάση Δεδομένων: | MEDLINE |
| ISSN: | 1477-9145 |
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| DOI: | 10.1242/jeb.252866 |