The structure and function of the ankle dorsiflexor muscles in young and moderately active men and women

The aim was to investigate determinants of ankle dorsiflexor muscle (DF) strength and size in moderately active young men and women (n=30; age 20-31 years). Concentric (CON) and eccentric (ECC) strength were measured isokinetically. Magnetic resonance imaging was used to determine the muscle cross-sectional area (CSA). Multiple biopsies were obtained from the tibialis anterior muscle to determine total numbers, areas (AREA) and proportions (PROP) of types I and II fibers, and relative contents of myosin heavy chain (MHC) I, IIa and IIx. Women had lower CON and ECC strength (24% and 27%; p<0.01), smaller CSA (19%; p<0.001), lower ECC DF specific strength (strength/CSA) (10%; p<0.01), and smaller AREA I and AREA II (21% and 31%; p<0.01), than men. PROP I, MHC I, estimated total number of fibers and CON DF specific strength were similar for both sexes. CON DF strength was up to 72% determined by CSA and PROP I, and ECC DF strength was up to 81% determined by CSA, PROP I and sex; variables other than CSA explained at most 9%. Body weight and fiber areas explained more than 50% of the variation in cCSA. In conclusion, CSA was the predominant determinant of DF strength, CSA was to a great extent determined by the body weight and the sizes of muscle fibers, and sex differences in ECC specific strength require further study.