Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41469723›Full record

ArticleBMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation2025

Shared muscle synergies between running and physical performance tests.

Hiroki Saito, Ayu Yamano, Nanae Suzuki, Kazuya Matsushita, Hikaru Yokoyama, Atsushi Sasaki, Tatsuya Takahashi, Sakiko Ito, Kimitaka Nakazawa

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In one paragraph

Article in BMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

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PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Hiroki SaitoMajor in Physical Therapy, Department of Rehabilitation, School of Health Science, Tokyo University of Technology, Tokyo, Japan. saitohhrk@stf.teu.ac.jp.
Ayu YamanoMajor in Physical Therapy, Department of Rehabilitation, School of Health Science, Tokyo University of Technology, Tokyo, Japan.
Nanae SuzukiMajor in Physical Therapy, Department of Rehabilitation, School of Health Science, Tokyo University of Technology, Tokyo, Japan.
Kazuya MatsushitaAobadai Takeda Orthopedic, Tokyo, Japan.
Hikaru YokoyamaInstitute of Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, Japan.
Atsushi SasakiUniversity of Miami Miller School of Medicine, The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, Maiami, USA.
Tatsuya TakahashiToyota Memorial Hospital, Aichi, Japan.
Sakiko ItoMajor in Physical Therapy, Department of Rehabilitation, School of Health Science, Tokyo University of Technology, Tokyo, Japan.
Kimitaka NakazawaGraduate School of Arts and Sciences, Department of Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.

Funding

The Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) KAKENHI Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C). 25K14467
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundUnderstanding whether commonly used physical performance test (PPT)-related tasks replicate the neuromechanical characteristics of running is essential for informing return-to-running (RTR) decisions. PPTs are frequently used in rehabilitation, yet their ability to reflect the neuromuscular demands of running has not been fully established. This study therefore investigated the extent to which muscle synergies are shared between running and various PPT-related tasks to evaluate the neuromechanical replicability of these tasks.

methodsTen healthy male participants were recruited, performing running and nine PPT-related tasks including walking, single-leg hops (30, 60 and 100% of their maximum distance), single-leg squats, and various balance tasks. The activities in sixteen lower limb and trunk muscles were recorded. The data were analyzed using non-negative matrix factorization to explore shared muscle synergies between running and PPT-related tasks. The percentages of shared synergies and temporal patterns were compared between running and each PPT-related task.

resultAll PPT-related tasks exhibited shared muscle synergies with running. However, walking (75% [40%-100%]), single leg hops with 30% of maximum distance (60% [20%-100%]), and step-up-down (63% [0%-100%]) demonstrated significantly higher percentages of shared synergies compared to other tasks. However, significant differences in temporal patterns were observed between running and all PPT-related tasks.

conclusionWalking, SLH30, and step-up-down tasks share a substantial proportion of muscle synergy patterns with running and appear to more closely reproduce the coordination strategies used during running. These tasks may therefore be promising candidates for future studies aimed at evaluating the predictability of safe return to running.

Indexed as

ACL reconstructionElectromyographyMotor controlMuscle synergiesNeuromechanicsPhysical performance testsRehabilitationReturn to running

Identifiers

PMID41469723
PMCPMC12866077

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