An exhaustive review has been made to filter the studies that have analyzed muscle function though tensiomyography (TMG) with elite or well-trained athletes. The results of this review indicate that the several protocols used in athletes to find the displacement-time curve with greater maximum radial muscle displacement showed a good-excellent reliability. TMG has been used to characterize athletes’ muscles contractile properties from specific sports disciplines, although there are very few sports that have been deeply analyzed. TMG seems to be useful to determine changes in muscles contractile properties after stimuli of competition, training or recovery. These changes have been strongly related with the fatigue produced after an effort. In addition, TMG parameters could be used to control training effects during a specific period or throughout the season being also a very useful tool to individualize athletes training loads. In this sense, it also seems to provide sports performance information in cyclic sports by relating some TMG parameters with performance indicators. On the other hand, the TMG-BCM algorithm has been used as a lateral and functional symmetry measure and as a monitoring tool for injury prevention and recovery. However, it seems to be no clear criterion that determines asymmetry degree, nor established contractile properties values as a reference to prevent or recover sports injuries. Despite the utility shown in these fields, there are still very few sports analyzed and it is really necessary to continue advancing in the knowledge of the contractile properties behavior, such as the effects of athletes’ training, competitions and injuries and even in the parameters interpretation obtained with the TMG.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the changes in neuromuscular contractile properties in elite cyclists associated to the peripheral fatigue produced in a maximal incremental test in cycle ergometer. Methods: Forty-eight volunteers’ well-trained male cyclists were evaluated during the competition season within a recovery microcycle. Tensiomyography was used before and after performing an incremental test until exhaustion in cycle ergometer to measure the radial muscle belly displacement of the vastus lateralis (VL), rectus femoris (RF), and biceps femoris (BF) on the dominant leg. Maximum radial muscle belly displacement (Dm), contraction time (Tc), delay time (Td), sustain time (Ts), and radial displacement velocity (Vrd) were measured. Mixed-design factorial analysis of variance was used to detect changes in the mechanical and neuromuscular characteristics after a maximal incremental exercise test. Results: The results show in the evaluated muscles a moderate-large decrease (p < .01, η2 = 0.06–0.51) in Tc, Td, Dm, Ts, and Vrd. This decrease occurs more sharply in the BF than in RF or VL. Conclusion: An incremental effort until exhaustion produces peripheral fatigue associated with a decrease in Dm, Tc, Td, Ts, and Vrd, being more pronounced in biceps femoris than in vastus lateralis and rectus femoris. Coaches can use these changes found in the contractile properties as a reference to detect the muscle fatigue degree that certain training models pose for the cyclist.

This study aimed to (1) determine the magnitude and direction of asymmetry in volleyball players, (2) establish asymmetry thresholds, and (3) explore differences depending on the test used and the players’ category. Twenty-nine junior and senior male volleyball players were assessed through a muscle asymmetry battery test: active knee extension test (AKE), single-leg countermovement jump (SL-CMJ), single-leg squat jump (SL-SJ), triple hop test for distance (THTD), modified 20-yard shuttle run, Y-balance test, single-leg one-repetition maximum in leg press test (1RM-SL), and lateral symmetry in radial muscle belly displacement through Tensiomyography in the biceps femoris and rectus femoris. A two-way ANOVA alongside an individual analysis of asymmetry thresholds was used to analyze the test and categorize the influence on the magnitude and the direction of asymmetry. The 1RM-SL, SL-SJ, and the lateral symmetry in radial muscle belly displacement showed a clear asymmetry towards the non-dominant side, while the AKE, SL-CMJ, and THTD showed an asymmetry towards the dominant side. The magnitude of the asymmetry was highly variable between tests (1.46–30.26%). The individualized asymmetry thresholds revealed that the percentage of asymmetrical players varied depending on the type of test used. In conclusion, the type of test used determines the magnitude and direction of asymmetry in well-trained volleyball players.

This study aimed to determine the neuromuscular changes in muscle contractile properties and CMJ performance after a Long Distance (LD) triathlon, inquiring to what extent it is influenced by gender and the evaluated muscle, and to explore for response differences. Four elite (2 females and 2 males) and eighteen well-trained triathletes (3 females and 15 males) who competed in the 2019 LD Triathlon World Championship undergone, prior and post-race, a Countermovement Jump (CMJ) and a muscle contractile properties assessment in Vastus Lateralis (VL) and Biceps Femoris (BF) using Tensiomyography. A mixed ANOVA was carried out to detect triathletes’ neuromuscular changes after the competition. A large decrease in jump height and flight time was found in CMJ (p = 0.001, η_p²= 0.767) with gender differences (η²_p= 0.308). Contraction (Tc), delay (Td) and sustain times (Ts) also showed a large decrease (p = 0.001, η²_p= 0.174-0.413). However, maximum radial muscle belly displacement was not altered by the competition, but did greatly increase radial displacement velocity (p = 0.031; η²_p= 0.212). No gender differences were found in contractile properties. Correlation analysis between race performance and the jumping and Tensiomyography parameters only showed a moderate negative correlation with Tc of the BF in pre- and post-competition (r = -0.44; -0.43; p = 0.05). In conclusion, triathletes after a LD World Championship suffer a sharp drop in jump performance and variations in VL’s and BF’s contractile properties, showing decreases in Tc, Td and Ts without gender differences. The regular use of these parameters can allow monitoring the triathlete's neuromuscular fatigue and aid in the distribution of more efficient loads in their training cycles.

Todas las selecciones de personal, incluyendo aquellas que se dirigen a profesiones de alta exigencia en intervención en rescate e incendios, como la de bombero, tienen la intención de ir eliminando a las personas menos preparadas, por ello es necesario que los procesos incorporen pruebas físicas contrastadas y eficaces, y sean aplicadas de la forma más rigurosa posible. En los últimos 15 años se han convocado más de 6500 plazas fijas de bombero que incluyen pruebas físicas. El objetivo del trabajo fue analizar la información y características generales de las pruebas físicas recogidas en las convocatorias públicas para plazas de bomberos (no forestales) en España entre los años 2020 y 2021, y así comprobar su congruencia y homogeneidad. Se revisaron todas las convocatorias existentes (N=16; n=16) de ámbito local, provincial y autonómico recogidas en el portal de empleo público estatal, utilizando un formulario ad hoc de 15 ítems revisado previamente por un panel de expertos. Los resultados mostraron una amplia variedad de posibilidades en la presentación y realización de pruebas para una misma capacidad valorada, que no permiten homogeneizar las mismas oportunidades de acceso entre los diferentes lugares del país. Sería necesario contar permanentemente con asesoramiento y supervisión especializada durante la organización de las pruebas físicas, al mismo tiempo que estimular mayor evidencia científica que permita optimizarla elección e implementación de las mencionadas pruebas en los procesos selectivos.