New Sportsmith Article on AI-derived Muscle Volume Analysis

This post provides an introduction to my new Sportsmith article, in collaboration with Springbok Analytics, 'Integrating muscle volume analysis into athlete monitoring, training, and rehab'.

Previously, MRI-based measures of muscle volume were limited and time consuming. However, advancements in AI now enable the streamlined and time efficient quantification of each muscle. 

Larger muscle sizes (relative to body mass) of the sartorius, semitendinosus, psoas major, gluteus maximus, and the hamstrings are related to sprint velocity. Hip flexor and extensor volumes are most related to sprint performance in collegiate American football players. The volume of the psoas major accounted for the greatest variance in speed.

For sprinters, hypertrophy of the semitendinosus was the only metric linked to improvements in sprint performance. This suggests that practitioners should prioritize semitendinosus development to enhance maximal sprint velocity in well trained subjects. Exercises such as the Nordic hamstring exercise, specifically in 90° hip flexion, and isometric hip extension preferentially hypertrophies the semitendinosus. 

Intramuscular fat infiltration is a critical marker of muscle dysfunction and recovery. Increased fat infiltration within a muscle can significantly impair strength, force production, and overall performance, potentially even when muscle volume appears adequate. 

For example, one NFL player developed chronic left quadriceps tendinopathy a number of years after undergoing left ACL reconstruction. His Springbok Analytics scan revealed the left quadriceps muscle group was 4% larger in volume than the right, but also exhibited 29% higher fat infiltration compared to the right. Performance assessments showed reduced eccentric force absorption and isometric strength capacity. 

Springbok’s data demonstrated that increased muscle size can mask dysfunction. Higher fat infiltration can be associated with greater stiffness, reduced neuromuscular efficiency, and functional deficits. In this player's case, these factors appeared to hinder the athlete’s athletic performance.

Similarly, a Major League Baseball player had chronic left sided hamstring issues and muscular atrophy in the right calf following an Achilles tendon rupture. Despite undergoing surgery 2.5 years earlier, he still had a 14% and 11% reduction in medial gastrocnemius and soleus volumes, respectively, on the right side. 

The diminished capacity in the affected calf likely caused the athlete to develop a compensatory movement pattern, shifting strain onto the contralateral (left) side and potentially contributing to recurring hamstring issues. This information emphasized the need for targeted, long term rehabilitation that not only addressed the hamstring issues but also focused on the residual deficits related to the Achilles tendon repair. 

Learn more now in this FREE Sportsmith article>>>

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This article is support by Springbok Analytics. For more information about their services, visit their website.

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