SavedAdd your journal

Journals / Gazi Beden Eğitimi ve Spor Bilimleri Dergisi / 2026 / Volume: 30 Issue: 4

The Role of Bilateral Mechanical Balance in the Superficial Quadriceps Femoris Parts on VO2max

Doğa Comba
Nihat Sarıalioğlu
Pages
—
Publication Date
2025-12-31
🏛️Bibliographic metadata and full text access for this article are provided via DergiPark.
DergiPark Record ↗
✨

AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

The research results showed that as asymmetry in the tone and stiffness characteristics of the rectus femoris muscle increased, oxygen consumption efficiency decreased.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:The aim of this study is to investigate the role of bilateral mechanical balance in the surface components of the quadriceps femoris muscle in VO2max consumption.
📊
Key Findings & Data:The study was designed as a descriptive model, and 30 male athletes with an average age of 20.80±2.53 years participated voluntarily.
💡
Conclusion & Impact:The research results showed that as asymmetry in the tone and stiffness characteristics of the rectus femoris muscle increased, oxygen consumption efficiency decreased.
🔬Design:Modeling & Simulation
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Asymmetry · Stiffness · Elasticity

Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate the role of bilateral mechanical balance in the surface components of the quadriceps femoris muscle in VO2max consumption. The study was designed as a descriptive model, and 30 male athletes with an average age of 20.80±2.53 years participated voluntarily. Participants’ height and weight measurements were taken first, then the mechanical properties of the rectus femoris (RF), vastus lateralis (VL), and vastus medialis (VM) muscles in both thigh regions were evaluated in terms of tone, stiffness, and elasticity parameters using the MyotonPro device. Maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) measurements were performed using the COSMED K5 wearable metabolic system and Sprintex ergospirometric treadmill (Sprintex, Hürth, Germany) using the Bruce protocol. Bilateral mechanical balance between the legs was determined by calculating the mechanical differences between the dominant and non-dominant sides as a percentage. The relationship between parameters was analyzed using the Spearman correlation test with SPSS 25 software at a significance level of p<0.05. The research results showed that as asymmetry in the tone and stiffness characteristics of the rectus femoris muscle increased, oxygen consumption efficiency decreased. These results suggest that mechanical imbalances in the rectus femoris muscles can have negative consequences not only for local muscle function but also for overall aerobic performance.

🔖

Cite This Article

Comba, D., Sarıalioğlu, N. (2025). The Role of Bilateral Mechanical Balance in the Superficial Quadriceps Femoris Parts on VO2max. Gazi Beden Eğitimi ve Spor Bilimleri Dergisi, Volume: 30 Issue: 4. https://doi.org/10.53434/gbesbd.1808195

📄 Full Text PDF Viewer

↗New Tab

References (43)

  1. Ariyaratne, S. P., Shirodkar, K., Botchu, R., & James, S. L. (2025). Quadriceps muscle injuries in athletes: A narrative review. British Journal of Radiology, 98(1169), 630–639. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjr/tqaf042
  2. Aird L., Samuel D. and Stokes M. (2012). Quadriceps muscle tone, elasticity and stiffness in older males: reliability and symmetry using the Myotonpro. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 55(2), e31-e39. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.archger.2012.03.005
  3. Bassett, D. R., Jr., & Howley, E. T. (2000). Limiting factors for maximum oxygen uptake and determinants of endurance performance. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 32(1), 70–84. https://doi.org/10.1097/00005768-200001000-00012
  4. Bergström, H. C., Housh, T. J., Dinyer, T. K., Byrd, M. T., Jenkins, N. D. M., Cochrane-Snyman, K. C., & Zuniga, J. M. (2020). Neuromuscular responses of the superficial quadriceps femoris muscles: muscle-specific fatigue and inter-individual variability during severe intensity treadmill running. Journal of Musculoskeletal & Neuronal Interactions, 20(1), 77–87. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32131371
  5. Bishop, C., Read, P., Lake, J., Chavda, S., & Turner, A. (2018). Interlimb asymmetries: Understanding how to calculate differences from bilateral and unilateral tests. Strength & Conditioning Journal, 40(4), 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1519/SSC.0000000000000371
  6. Bishop, C., Turner, A., & Read, P. (2018). Effects of inter-limb asymmetries on physical and sports performance: A systematic review. Journal of Sports Sciences, 36(10), 1135–1144. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2017.1361894
  7. Borg, G. A. V. (1982). Psychophysical bases of perceived exertion. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 14(5), 377–381. https://doi.org/10.1249/00005768-198205000-00012
  8. Carter, R. E., Lubinsky, J., & Domholdt, E. (2016). Selection and assignment of participants. In Rehabilitation research: Principles and applications (pp. 98–99). Elsevier Health Sciences. ISBN: 978-1437708400
  9. Chen, W., Li, C., Wang, Y., Shen, X., Wu, Z., Li, J., & Xu, X. (2023). Comparison of the asymmetries in muscle mass, biomechanical property and muscle activation asymmetry of quadriceps femoris between patients with unilateral and bilateral knee osteoarthritis. Frontiers in Physiology, 14, 1126116. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2023.1126116
  10. Fox, K. T., Pearson, L. T., & Hicks, K. M. (2023). The effect of lower inter-limb asymmetries on athletic performance: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLOS ONE, 18(6), e0286942. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0286942
  11. Heshmati, S., Ghahraman Tabrizi, K., Daneshjoo, A., Hosseini, E., Bahiraei, S., Sahebozamani, M., Konrad, A., & Behm, D. G. (2025). Effects of asymmetric and symmetric sport load on upper and lower extremity strength and balance: A comparison between the dominant and non-dominant side in adolescent female athletes. Sports, 13(3), 89. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports13030089
  12. Hart, N. H., Nimphius, S., Spiteri, T., & Newton, R. U. (2014). Leg strength and lean mass symmetry influences kicking performance in Australian Football. Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, 13(1), 157–165. Retrieved from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3918553/
  13. Jafarnezhadgero, A., Moradzadeh, N., Mirzang, E. F., Sajedi, H., Dixon, S., & Akrami, M. (2025). Influence of a fatiguing exercise on lower limb electromyographic activities and co-contraction in overweight females during running. PLoS One, 20(5), e0322167. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0322167
  14. Kalata, M., Maly, T., Hank, M., Michalek, J., Bujnovsky, D., Kunzmann, E., & Zahalka, F. (2020). Unilateral and bilateral strength asymmetry among young elite athletes of various sports. Medicina, 56(12), 683. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina56120683
  15. Kanchan, T., Mohan Kumar, T. S., Pradeep Kumar, G., & Yoganarasimha, K. (2008). Skeletal asymmetry. Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine, 15(3), 177–179. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jflm.2007.05.009
  16. Konrad, A., Tilp, M., Mehmeti, L., Mahnič, N., Seiberl, W., & Paternoster, F. K. (2023). The relationship between lower limb passive muscle and tendon compression stiffness and oxygen cost during running. Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, 22(1), 28–35. https://doi.org/10.52082/jssm.2023.28
  17. Kubo, K., Kanehisa, H., Kawakami, Y., & Fukunaga, T. (2000). Elastic properties of muscle-tendon complex in long-distance runners. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 81(3), 181–187. https://doi.org/10.1007/s004210050032
  18. Landin, D., Thompson, M., & Reid, M. (2016). Actions of two bi-articular muscles of the lower extremity: A review. Journal of Clinical Medicine Research, 8(7), 489–494. https://doi.org/10.14740/jocmr2478w
  19. Lee, J., & Zhang, X. L. (2021). Physiological determinants of VO₂max and the methods to evaluate it: A critical review. Science & Sports, 36(4), 259–271. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scispo.2020.11.006
  20. Lieber, R. L., & Binder-Markey, B. I. (2021). Biochemical and structural basis of the passive mechanical properties of whole skeletal muscle. The Journal of Physiology, 599(16), 3809–3823. https://doi.org/10.1113/JP280867
  21. Ma, X., Cao, Z., Zhu, Z., Chen, X., Wen, D., & Cao, Z. (2023). VO₂max (VO₂peak) in elite athletes under high-intensity interval training: A meta-analysis. Heliyon, 9(6), e16663. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e16663
  22. Masi, A. T., & Hannon, J. C. (2008). Human resting muscle tone (HRMT): Narrative introduction and modern concepts. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, 12(4), 320–332. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbmt.2008.05.007
  23. Melo, C. C., Carpes, F. P., Vieira, T. M., Mendes, T. T., de Paula, L. V., Chagas, M. H., & de Andrade, A. G. P. (2020). Correlation between running asymmetry, mechanical efficiency, and performance during a 10 km run. Journal of Biomechanics, 109, 109913. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiomech.2020.109913
  24. Mohajan, D., & Mohajan, H. K. (2023). Long-Term Regular Exercise Increases VO₂max for Cardiorespiratory Fitness. Innovation in Science and Technology, 2(2), 38–43. https://doi.org/10.56397/IST.2023.03.0
  25. Mohammadi, F., Taghizadeh, S., Ghaffarinejad, F., Khorrami, M., & Sobhani, S. (2008). Proprioception, dynamic balance and maximal quadriceps strength in females with knee osteoarthritis and normal control subjects. International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases, 11(1), 39–44. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1756-185X.2008.00328.x
  26. Maloney, S. J. (2019). The relationship between asymmetry and athletic performance: A critical review. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 33(9), 2579–2593. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000002608
  27. Richardson, R. S., Harms, G. A., Grassi, B., & Hepple, R. T. (2000). Skeletal muscle: master or slave of the cardiovascular system? Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 32(1), 89–93. https://doi.org/10.1097/00005768-200001000-00014
  28. Rudolph, J. E., Cole, S. R., & Edwards, J. K. (2018). Parametric assumptions equate to hidden observations: comparing the efficiency of nonparametric and parametric models for estimating time to AIDS or death in a cohort of HIV-positive women. BMC Medical Research Methodology, 18(1), 142. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12874-018-0605-8
  29. Salvador, A. F., Schubert, K. R., de Oliveira Cruz, R. S., Corvino, R. B., Pereira, K. L., Caputo, F., & de Oliveira, M. F. M. (2016). Bilateral muscle strength symmetry and performance are improved following walk training with restricted blood flow in an elite paralympic sprint runner: A case study. Physical Therapy in Sport, 20, 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ptsp.2015.10.004
  30. Sarıalioğlu, N. (2025). The relationship between asymmetric variations in plantar pressure distribution and cardiovascular performance. Turkish Journal of Kinesiology, 11(2), 95–103. https://doi.org/10.31459/turkjkin.1666684
  31. Sarto, F., Spörri, J., Fitze, D. P., Quinlan, J. I., Narici, M. V., & Franchi, M. V. (2021). Implementing ultrasound imaging for the assessment of muscle and tendon properties in elite sports: Practical aspects, methodological considerations and future directions. Sports Medicine, 51(6), 1151–1170. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-021-01436-7
  32. Skotniczny, K., Terbalyan, A., Krzysztofik, M., Roczniok, R., Drozd, M., Radzimiński, Ł., & Jarosz, J. (2025). Acute heterogeneous changes in muscle and tendon viscoelastic properties following a VO₂max treadmill test in high-level male soccer players. Applied Sciences, 15, 6986. https://doi.org/10.3390/app15136986
  33. Srivastava, S., Tamrakar, S., Nallathambi, N., Vrindavanam, S. A., Prasad, R., & Kothari, R. (2024). Assessment of maximal oxygen uptake (VO₂max) in athletes and nonathletes assessed in sports physiology laboratory. Cureus, 16(5), e61124. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.61124
  34. Thijs, Y., Van Tiggelen, D., Roosen, P., De Clercq, D., & Witvrouw, E. (2007). A prospective study on gait-related intrinsic risk factors for patellofemoral pain. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, 17(6), 437–445. https://doi.org/10.1097/JSM.0b013e31815ac44f
  35. Trube, N., Riedel, W., & Boljen, M. (2021). How muscle stiffness affects human body model behavior. Biomedical Engineering Online, 20(1), 53. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12938-021-00878-1
  36. von Schaumburg, L., Laurson, K. R., Thomas, D. Q., & Lagally, K. M. (2022). Submaximal testing to estimate aerobic capacity using a Matrix C5x stepmill. Journal of Human Kinetics, 83, 121–129. https://doi.org/10.2478/hukin-2022-0055
  37. Wang, Q., & Zhou, W. (2021). Roles and molecular mechanisms of physical exercise in cancer prevention and treatment. Journal of Sport and Health Science, 10(2), 201–210. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jshs.2020.07.008
  38. Watanabe, K., Vieira, T. M., Gallina, A., Kouzaki, M., & Moritani, T. (2021). Novel insights into bi-articular muscle actions gained from high-density EMG. Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews, 49(3), 179–187. https://doi.org/10.1249/JES.0000000000000254
  39. Wdowski, M., Rosicka, K., & Hill, M. (2023). Influence of lower-limb muscular and tendon mechanical properties and strength on countermovement jump performance. The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, 63(1), 16–22. https://doi.org/10.23736/S0022-4707.22.13567-X
  40. Yamagishi, T., Saito, A., & Kawakami, Y. (2022). Determinants of whole-body maximal aerobic performance in young male and female athletes: The roles of lower extremity muscle size, strength and power. PLoS ONE, 17(1), e0262507. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0262507
  41. Yamaguchi, Y., Nishiyama, T., Wada, N., Fukuda, W., Mizuno, M., & Otsuka, M. (2025). Different morphology and function of hip extensor muscles between sprint runners and sprint cyclists. Scientific Reports, 15, 16372. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-98231-5
  42. Zacca, R., de Souza Castro, F. A., Monteiro, A. S. M., Pyne, D. B., Vilas-Boas, J. P., & Fernandes, R. J. P. (2023). Swimming with the COSMED AquaTrainer and K5 wearable metabolic system in breath-by-breath mode: Accuracy, precision, and repeatability. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 18(10), 1152–1160. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2022-0386
  43. Zifchock, R. A., Davis, I., Higginson, J., & Royer, T. (2008). The symmetry angle: A novel, robust method of quantifying asymmetry. Gait & Posture, 27(4), 622–627. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gaitpost.2007.08.006