Research impact: Exercise and rehabilitation equipment

Research summary

Over the past 20 years, researchers at the Centre for Musculoskeletal Science and Sports Medicine have provided evidence for the importance of strength-based physical activity.

They have published more than 70 peer-reviewed papers that have helped determine the most effective exercises to increase strength, performance and quality of later life.

Their studies range from cells to the whole body and they have used a variety of research methods, many of which they have pioneered.

The group’s influential studies include research on:

Concentric versus eccentric exercise

Researchers investigated the differences between strength and resistance exercises that either shorten muscles (concentric) or lengthen them (eccentric). In studies with older adults and younger people, they found that enhanced eccentric activities substantially improve the structure and function of muscles compared to conventional, concentric-only resistance training. The research has helped find ways for older people and others with lower muscle mass to do exercises which improve their strength, mobility and quality of life. It’s also been used by leading manufacturers to develop improved exercise equipment.

Isoinertial exercise

Researchers worked with the European Space Agency (ESA) to study the impact of isoinertial exercise - activities that keep muscles working at a constant level, such as flywheel weights and resistance settings on exercise equipment. As well as being useful for those living and working in zero gravity, the findings have helped discover new techniques for building muscle strength in older people.

Validation of tensiomyography

Tensiomyography involves measuring the speed and stiffness of muscles as they contract, and can be used to track changes in the muscle as a result of exercise, inactivity or illness. Researchers have helped to establish that the technique gives a good non-invasive indication of the fibre type composition of muscle and can be used to detect early signs of muscle atrophy.

Research outputs

Academic papers

• Franchi, MV, Atherton, PJ, Reeves, ND, Flück, M, Williams, J, Mitchell, WK, Selby, A, Beltran Valls, RM and Narici, MV (2014) Architectural, functional and molecular responses to concentric and eccentric loading in human skeletal muscle Acta Physiologica, 210(3):642-654

• Franchi, MV, Wilkinson, DJ, Quinlan, JI, Mitchell, WK, Lund, JN, Williams, JP, Reeves, ND, Smith, K, Atherton, PJ and Narici, MV (2015) Early structural remodeling and deuterium oxide‐derived protein metabolic responses to eccentric and concentric loading in human skeletal muscle. Physiological reports, 3(11):e12593. 

• Reeves, ND, Maganaris, CN, Longo, S and Narici, MV (2009) Differential adaptations to eccentric versus conventional resistance training in older humans Experimental physiology 94(7):825-833. 

• Onambélé, GL, Maganaris, CN, Mian, OS, Tam, E, Rejc, E, McEwan, IM and Narici, MV (2008) Neuromuscular and balance responses to flywheel inertial versus weight training in older persons Journal of biomechanics, 41(15):3133-3138. 

• Seynnes, OR, de Boer, M and Narici, MV, (2007) Early skeletal muscle hypertrophy and architectural changes in response to high-intensity resistance training Journal of applied physiology, 102(1):368-373. 

• Rittweger, J, Frost, HM, Schiessl, H, Ohshima, H, Alkner, B, Tesch, P and Felsenberg, D (2005) Muscle atrophy and bone loss after 90 days’ bed rest and the effects of flywheel resistive exercise and pamidronate: results from the LTBR study Bone, 36(6):1019-1029. 

• Šimunic, B, Degens, H, Rittweger, J, Narici, M, Mekjavic, IB and Pišot, R (2011) Noninvasive estimation of myosin heavy chain composition in human skeletal muscle. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 43(9), 1619-1625.