Estimating Muscle Fiber-Type Composition in Elite Athletes: A Survey on Current Practices and Perceived Merit

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Lievens, Eline
Van de Casteele, Freek
De Block, Fien
Van Vossel, Kim
Vandenbogaerde, Tom
Sandford, Gareth N
Bellinger, Phillip
Minahan, Clare
Bourgois, Jan G
Stellingwerff, Trent
Mujika, Iñigo
Derave, Wim
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2024
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Abstract

Purpose: To gather information on practices and perceptions of high-performance experts regarding their athletes’ muscle fiber-type composition (MFTC) and its estimation. Methods: A questionnaire on the noninvasive versus invasive estimation of MFTC was completed by 446 experts including coaches and sport-science/sports-medicine staff. Moreover, the perceived importance of MFTC for training and performance optimization was assessed. Differences between sport types (individual and team sports) were analyzed using chi-square tests. Results: Forty percent of the experts implemented MFTC assessment in pursuit of performance optimization, while 50% did not know their athletes’ MFTC but expressed a desire to implement it if they would be able to assess MFTC. Ten percent did not perceive value in MFTC assessment. Only 18% of experts believed that their athletes would undergo a muscle biopsy, leading to the adoption of alternative noninvasive techniques. Experts primarily relied on their experience to estimate MFTC (65%), with experts working in individual sports using their experience more frequently than those working in team sports (68% vs 51%; P = .009). Jump tests emerged as the second-most commonly employed method for estimating MFTC (56%). When only considering experts who are currently using MFTC, 87% use MFTC to individualize training volume and 84% to individualize training intensity. Conclusions: Experts value MFTC assessment primarily to individualize training but mainly rely on noninvasive methods to estimate MFTC. Some of these methods lack scientific validity, suggesting a continuing need for education and further research in this area.

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International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance

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This publication has been entered in Griffith Research Online as an advance online version.

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Clinical sciences

Medical physiology

Sports science and exercise

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Lievens, E; Van de Casteele, F; De Block, F; Van Vossel, K; Vandenbogaerde, T; Sandford, GN; Bellinger, P; Minahan, C; Bourgois, JG; Stellingwerff, T; Mujika, I; Derave, W, Estimating Muscle Fiber-Type Composition in Elite Athletes: A Survey on Current Practices and Perceived Merit, International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 2024

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