Relationships between Muscle Architecture and Performance in Division I Male Italian Field Hockey Players

Muscle architecture has been proposed as one of the most important determinants of muscle strength and power performance. The purpose of the present investigation was to correlate the muscle architecture with power, agility and maximal strength in Italian division I Field Hockey (FH) players. Twenty players (age = 25.4 ± 5.2 y; body mass = 78.5 ± 9.0 kg; body height = 179.6 ± 7.8 cm) were assessed for body composition, agility, sprint and maximal isometric force in squat (ISQ). The pro-agility test (PRO) and 30-m sprint (SPRINT) were used for agility and speed assessments, respectively. In addition, the pennation angle (PA), fascicle length (FL) and muscle thickness (MT) of the vastus lateralis were assessed via B-mode ultrasound. Large positive correlations were found between PRO and both PA and MT (r = 0.62; p = 0.006 and r = 0.51; p = 0.032, respectively). Moreover, SPRINT was positively correlated with PA and negatively correlated with FL (r = 0.50, p = 0.046; and r = −0.50; p = 0.034, respectively). Large positive correlations were also detected between body fat and both PRO and SPRINT (r = 0.58; p = 0.012 and r = 0.61; p = 0.009, respectively), indicating detrimental effects of the body fat on specific performances. The present findings showed the existence of large relationships between the muscle architecture of the vastus lateralis and physical characteristics related to elite performance in FH. Low PA and long FL of the vastus lateralis appear important parameters for agility and sprint performances.