Oscar García-García from the University of Vigo, an avid TMG user and founding member of the International Society of Tensiomyography (ISOT) has recently published a new article on a preseason neuromuscular assessment through TMG in the Annals of Sports Medicine and Research. The aim of this study was to determine the baseline neuromuscular TMG parameters of knee extensor and flexor muscles in amateur road cyclists and then calculate percentages for the lateral symmetry and functional symmetry. Twelve Spanish amateur road cyclists, category Elite, were considered (age 18.7 ± 0.7 years, body mass 68.0±8.2 kg, height 180.1±5.4 cm; fat 8.8±2.3%; maximal power output5.6±0.3 w/kg).The cyclists were assessed, with TMG, on the first days of the preseason, after a rest period of 3 weeks, at least 48 hours after performing any physical activity. A paired-samples test (p< .01) was applied, with a muscle being taken as an independent factor. No significant differences were observed between the dominant and non-dominant leg except in maximum radial displacement and contraction velocity of rectus femoris. The lateral symmetry percentages obtained were of about 82% in all muscles and functional symmetry percentages obtained were above 73%. This is due to higher contraction time (between 11.8 and 16.9 ms, p < .01) and lower contraction velocity (between 65.5 y 123.9 mm•s-1p < .01) of a cyclist´s biceps femoris above the knee extensor muscles. The neuromuscular evaluation of the principal muscles of pedaling at the beginning of the training season may set initial values of reference in theoretical absence of fatigue so that it becomes a tool that helps the coach to control and subsequently study the changes that occur due to the training loads and competition that the cyclist receives during different training cycles of the season. Moreover, in case of a muscle tendon injury, it would help to identify the anomalous values produced by the injury and carry out the monitoring of the recovery. You can download the article here.

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