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Introduction A paucity of research exists examining the importance of muscle morphological and functional characteristics for elite female sprint performance. Purpose This study aimed to compare lower body muscle volumes and vertical jumping power between elite and subelite female sprinters and assess the relationships of these characteristics with sprint race and acceleration performance. Methods Five elite (100 m seasons best [SBE100], 11.16 ± 0.06 s) and 17 subelite (SBE100, 11.84 ± 0.42 s) female sprinters underwent: 3T magnetic resonance imaging to determine the volume of 23 individual leg muscles/compartments and five functional muscle groups; countermovement jump and 30 m acceleration tests. Results Total absolute lower body muscle volume was higher in elite versus subelite sprinters (+15%). Elite females exhibited greater muscle volume of the hip flexors (absolute, +28%; relative [to body mass], +19%), hip extensors (absolute, +22%; relative, +14%), and knee extensors (absolute, +21%), demonstrating pronounced anatomically specific muscularity, with relative hip flexor volume alone explaining 48% of sprint performance variability. The relative volume of five individual muscles (sartorius, gluteus maximus, adductor magnus, vastus lateralis, illiopsoas) were both distinct between groups (elite > subelite) and related to SBE100 (r = 0.553-0.639), with the combination of the sartorius (41%) and the adductor magnus (17%) explaining 58% of the variance in SBE100. Elite female sprinters demonstrated greater absolute countermovement jump power versus subelite, and absolute and relative power were related to both SBE100 (r = -0.520 to -0.741) and acceleration performance (r = 0.569 to 0.808). Conclusions This investigation illustrates the distinctive, anatomically specific muscle volume distribution that facilitates elite sprint running in females, and emphasizes the importance of hip flexor and extensor relative muscle volume.
© Copyright 2022 Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.