Effect of External Work Magnitude on Mechanical Efficiency of Sledge Jumping

Abstract

The mechanical efficiency of human locomotion has been studied extensively. The mechanical efficiency of the whole body occasionally exceeds muscle efficiency during bouncing type gaits. It is thought to occur due to elasticity and stiffness of the tendinomuscular system and neuromuscular functions, especially stretch reflexes. In addition, the lower limb joint kinetics affect mechanical efficiency. We investigated the impact of varying external work on mechanical efficiency and lower limb kinetics during repeated sledge jumping. Fifteen male runners performed sledge jumping for 4 minutes at 3 different sledge inclinations. Lower limb kinematics, ground reaction forces, and expired gases were analyzed. Mechanical efficiency did not differ according to sledge inclination. Mechanical efficiency correlated positively with the positive mechanical work of the knee and hip joints and the negative contribution of the hip joints. Conversely, it correlated negatively with both the positive and negative contributions of the ankle joint. This may be attributable to the greater workload in this study versus previous studies. To achieve greater external work, producing more mechanical energy at the proximal joint and transferring it to the distal joint could be an effective strategy for improving mechanical efficiency because of the greater force-generating capability of distal joint muscles.