Muscle-tendon plasticity and adaptation
Group leader: Dr. Falk Mersmann
PhD students: Robert Marzilger, Gunnar Laube, Nikos Pentidis, Georgios Charcharis
The performance capacity of our motor system is greatly influenced by the neuromuscular force generation and the transmission of these forces to the skeleton via the tendon. Our workgroup aims to identify effective mechanical stimuli to promote muscle strength and power as well as the resilience of tendons. In addition, it tries to deepen the current understanding of the underlying processes of mechanotransduction.
Knowledge on the interplay of mechanical loading and tissue adaptation is crucial not only for increasing athletic performance, but also for regaining function following injury or attenuating degenerative age-related processes. Moreover, the coordinated adaptation of muscle and tendon is of special interest within the scope of injury prevention. Adolescence could be a critical phase in this context and receives special scientific attention from our group due to the interaction of mechanical loading with processes of maturation.
Muscle and tendon diagnostics are based on inverse dynamics, combining dynamometry and motion capture, and electromyography to calculate joint moments. The integration of ultrasonography allows the assessment of muscle architecture and mechanical tendon properties. Further, the group has expertise in reconstructing muscles from magnetic resonance images or estimating muscle activation deficits using electrical muscle stimulation.
Fig. Ultrasound-based measurement of the elongation of a patellar tendon (left) and 3D muscle reconstructions of knee extensor muscles.
Selected publications
Marzilger, R., Legerlotz, K., Panteli, C., Bohm, S., Arampatzis, A. (2018): Reliability of a semi-automated algorithm for the vastus lateralis muscle architecture measurement based on ultrasound images. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 118: 291–301.
Mersmann, F., Bohm, S., Schroll, A., Marzilger, R., Arampatzis, A. (2016): Athletic training affects the uniformity of muscle and tendon adaptation during adolescence. Journal of Applied Physiology, 121: 893–899.
Bohm, S., Mersmann, F., Tettke, M., Kraft, M., Arampatzis, A. (2014): Human achilles tendon plasticity in response to cyclic strain: effect of rate and duration. Journal of Experimental Biology, 217, 4010-4017.
Sharifnezhad, A., Marzilger, R., Arampatzis, A. (2014): Effects of load magnitude, muscle length and velocity during eccentric chronic loading on the longitudinal growth of vastus lateralis muscle. Journal of Experimental Biology 217, 2726-2733.
Mersmann, F., Bohm, S., Schroll, A., Arampatzis, A. (2014): Validation of a simplified method for muscle volume assessment. Journal of Biomechanics, 47, 1348–1352.