Muscle Strength and Flexibility in Male Marathon Runners: The Role of Age, Running Speed and Anthropometry

Pantelis Theodoros Nikolaidis; Juan Del Coso; Thomas Rosemann; Beat Knechtle

doi:10.3389/fphys.2019.01301

Muscle Strength and Flexibility in Male Marathon Runners: The Role of Age, Running Speed and Anthropometry

Front Physiol. 2019 Oct 16:10:1301. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2019.01301. eCollection 2019.

Authors

Pantelis Theodoros Nikolaidis^{1

2}, Juan Del Coso³, Thomas Rosemann⁴, Beat Knechtle^{4

5}

Affiliations

¹ Exercise Physiology Laboratory, Nikaia, Greece.
² School of Health and Caring Sciences, University of West Attica, Athens, Greece.
³ Exercise Physiology Laboratory, Camilo José Cela University, Madrid, Spain.
⁴ Institute of Primary Care, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
⁵ Medbase St. Gallen Am Vadianplatz, St. Gallen, Switzerland.

Abstract

Most studies on marathon runners have focused on physiological parameters determining performance, whereas neuromuscular aspects, such as muscle strength and flexibility, have received less attention. Thus, the aim of the present study was to examine the relationship of age, body composition, and running speed with muscle strength and flexibility of recreational marathon runners. Male marathon runners (n = 130, age 44.1 ± 8.6 years, height 176 ± 6 cm, body mass 77 ± 9 body mass index 24.7 ± 2.6 kg.m^-2, and race speed 10.29 ± 1.87 km/h) were separated into eight age groups (<30, 30-35, 55-60, >60 years). Four weeks before competing in a marathon, participants performed the sit-and-reach test (SAR), squat jumps (SJ), and countermovement jumps (CMJ), and four isometric muscle strength tests (right and left handgrip, lifting with knees extended and flexed), providing an index of overall isometric muscle strength in absolute (kg) relative to body mass values (kg.kg^-1 body mass). Afterward, participants competed and finished the Athens Classic Marathon (2017), and race speed was used as an index of running performance. As an average for the whole sample, SAR was 17.6 ± 8.5 cm, SJ was 24.3 ± 4.2 cm, CMJ was 25.8 ± 4.8 cm, overall isometric muscle strength was 386 ± 59 kg in absolute values and 5.06 ± 0.78 kg/kg of body mass in relative terms. The older age groups had the lowest scores in SJ (p < 0.001, η_p ² = 0.298) and CMJ (p < 0.001, η_p ² = 0.304), whereas no age-related difference in SAR (p = 0.908, η_p ² = 0.022), absolute (p = 0.622, η_p ² = 0.042) and relative isometric muscle strength (p = 0.435, η_p ² = 0.055) was shown. Race speed correlated moderately with relative isometric strength (r = 0.42, p < 0.001), but not with the other neuromuscular measures (r < 0.13,p > 0.130). In summary, age-related differences were shown in jumping ability, but not in flexibility and isometric muscle strength. Although these parameters - except relative strength - did not relate to running speed, they were components of health-related physical fitness. Consequently, coaches and runners should consider exercises that include stretching and strengthening in their weekly program to ensure adequate levels for all components of health-related physical fitness.

Keywords: aging; athlete; isometric muscle strength; race speed; range of motion.