Associations between skeletal muscle phenotype, positional role, and on-ice performance in elite male ice hockey players

Jeppe F. Vigh-Larsen; Hallur Thorsteinsson; Martin Thomassen; Jeppe Panduro; Bjørn Fristrup; Morten B. Randers; Jens L. Olesen; Peter Krustrup; Kristian Overgaard; Lars Nybo; Magni Mohr

doi:10.14814/phy2.70081

Associations between skeletal muscle phenotype, positional role, and on-ice performance in elite male ice hockey players

Jeppe F. Vigh-Larsen, Hallur Thorsteinsson, Martin Thomassen, Jeppe Panduro, Bjørn Fristrup, Morten B. Randers, Jens L. Olesen, Peter Krustrup, Kristian Overgaard, Lars Nybo, Magni Mohr^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Department of Public Health - Sport Science

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Abstract

We evaluated associations between muscle phenotype, positional role, and on-ice performance in male U20 Danish national team ice hockey players. Sixteen players (10 forwards, six defensemen) participated in a game with activity tracking. Resting thigh muscle biopsies were analyzed for metabolic enzyme activity and protein expression linked to performance. On-ice intermittent exercise capacity, repeated sprint ability, and maximal isometric knee-extensor torque were also assessed. No significant position-specific muscle phenotype characteristics were found, but forwards generally exhibited higher levels of several membrane proteins (p = 0.100–0.991). NAKα₂, NAK∑, K_ATP, ClC-1, and NHE1 showed significant correlations with total distance (r = 0.52–0.59, p = 0.016–0.046), however, within positions these only persisted for K_ATP (r = 0.70, p = 0.024) and NAKα₂ (r = 0.57, p = 0.085) in forwards, where CS enzyme activity also displayed a strong association with distance covered (r = 0.75, p = 0.019). For high-intensity skating, NAKα₂ (r = 0.56, p = 0.025) and K_ATP (r = 0.50, p = 0.048) similarly exhibited the strongest associations, persisting within forwards (r = 0.63, p = 0.052 and r = 0.72; p = 0.018, respectively). In conclusion, although several muscle proteins involved in ion and metabolic regulation were associated with performance, only NAKα₂ and K_ATP displayed consistent relationships within positions. Moreover, CS enzyme activity was strongly related to total distance within forwards, coherent with the proposed importance of oxidative capacity in intense intermittent exercise.

Original language	English
Article number	e70081
Journal	Physiological Reports
Volume	12
Issue	21
ISSN	2051-817X
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.70081
Publication status	Published - Nov 2024

Keywords

fatigue
high intensity intermittent exercise
ion transporters
team sports
testing
tracking

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Vigh-Larsen, J. F., Thorsteinsson, H., Thomassen, M., Panduro, J., Fristrup, B., Randers, M. B., Olesen, J. L., Krustrup, P., Overgaard, K., Nybo, L., & Mohr, M. (2024). Associations between skeletal muscle phenotype, positional role, and on-ice performance in elite male ice hockey players. Physiological Reports, 12(21), Article e70081. https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.70081

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title = "Associations between skeletal muscle phenotype, positional role, and on-ice performance in elite male ice hockey players",

abstract = "We evaluated associations between muscle phenotype, positional role, and on-ice performance in male U20 Danish national team ice hockey players. Sixteen players (10 forwards, six defensemen) participated in a game with activity tracking. Resting thigh muscle biopsies were analyzed for metabolic enzyme activity and protein expression linked to performance. On-ice intermittent exercise capacity, repeated sprint ability, and maximal isometric knee-extensor torque were also assessed. No significant position-specific muscle phenotype characteristics were found, but forwards generally exhibited higher levels of several membrane proteins (p = 0.100–0.991). NAKα2, NAK∑, KATP, ClC-1, and NHE1 showed significant correlations with total distance (r = 0.52–0.59, p = 0.016–0.046), however, within positions these only persisted for KATP (r = 0.70, p = 0.024) and NAKα2 (r = 0.57, p = 0.085) in forwards, where CS enzyme activity also displayed a strong association with distance covered (r = 0.75, p = 0.019). For high-intensity skating, NAKα2 (r = 0.56, p = 0.025) and KATP (r = 0.50, p = 0.048) similarly exhibited the strongest associations, persisting within forwards (r = 0.63, p = 0.052 and r = 0.72; p = 0.018, respectively). In conclusion, although several muscle proteins involved in ion and metabolic regulation were associated with performance, only NAKα2 and KATP displayed consistent relationships within positions. Moreover, CS enzyme activity was strongly related to total distance within forwards, coherent with the proposed importance of oxidative capacity in intense intermittent exercise.",

keywords = "fatigue, high intensity intermittent exercise, ion transporters, team sports, testing, tracking",

author = "Vigh-Larsen, {Jeppe F.} and Hallur Thorsteinsson and Martin Thomassen and Jeppe Panduro and Bj{\o}rn Fristrup and Randers, {Morten B.} and Olesen, {Jens L.} and Peter Krustrup and Kristian Overgaard and Lars Nybo and Magni Mohr",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2024 The Author(s). Physiological Reports published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of The Physiological Society and the American Physiological Society.",

year = "2024",

month = nov,

doi = "10.14814/phy2.70081",

language = "English",

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Associations between skeletal muscle phenotype, positional role, and on-ice performance in elite male ice hockey players. / Vigh-Larsen, Jeppe F.; Thorsteinsson, Hallur; Thomassen, Martin et al.
In: Physiological Reports, Vol. 12, No. 21, e70081, 11.2024.

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Associations between skeletal muscle phenotype, positional role, and on-ice performance in elite male ice hockey players

AU - Vigh-Larsen, Jeppe F.

AU - Thorsteinsson, Hallur

AU - Thomassen, Martin

AU - Panduro, Jeppe

AU - Fristrup, Bjørn

AU - Randers, Morten B.

AU - Olesen, Jens L.

AU - Krustrup, Peter

AU - Overgaard, Kristian

AU - Nybo, Lars

AU - Mohr, Magni

PY - 2024/11

Y1 - 2024/11

N2 - We evaluated associations between muscle phenotype, positional role, and on-ice performance in male U20 Danish national team ice hockey players. Sixteen players (10 forwards, six defensemen) participated in a game with activity tracking. Resting thigh muscle biopsies were analyzed for metabolic enzyme activity and protein expression linked to performance. On-ice intermittent exercise capacity, repeated sprint ability, and maximal isometric knee-extensor torque were also assessed. No significant position-specific muscle phenotype characteristics were found, but forwards generally exhibited higher levels of several membrane proteins (p = 0.100–0.991). NAKα2, NAK∑, KATP, ClC-1, and NHE1 showed significant correlations with total distance (r = 0.52–0.59, p = 0.016–0.046), however, within positions these only persisted for KATP (r = 0.70, p = 0.024) and NAKα2 (r = 0.57, p = 0.085) in forwards, where CS enzyme activity also displayed a strong association with distance covered (r = 0.75, p = 0.019). For high-intensity skating, NAKα2 (r = 0.56, p = 0.025) and KATP (r = 0.50, p = 0.048) similarly exhibited the strongest associations, persisting within forwards (r = 0.63, p = 0.052 and r = 0.72; p = 0.018, respectively). In conclusion, although several muscle proteins involved in ion and metabolic regulation were associated with performance, only NAKα2 and KATP displayed consistent relationships within positions. Moreover, CS enzyme activity was strongly related to total distance within forwards, coherent with the proposed importance of oxidative capacity in intense intermittent exercise.

AB - We evaluated associations between muscle phenotype, positional role, and on-ice performance in male U20 Danish national team ice hockey players. Sixteen players (10 forwards, six defensemen) participated in a game with activity tracking. Resting thigh muscle biopsies were analyzed for metabolic enzyme activity and protein expression linked to performance. On-ice intermittent exercise capacity, repeated sprint ability, and maximal isometric knee-extensor torque were also assessed. No significant position-specific muscle phenotype characteristics were found, but forwards generally exhibited higher levels of several membrane proteins (p = 0.100–0.991). NAKα2, NAK∑, KATP, ClC-1, and NHE1 showed significant correlations with total distance (r = 0.52–0.59, p = 0.016–0.046), however, within positions these only persisted for KATP (r = 0.70, p = 0.024) and NAKα2 (r = 0.57, p = 0.085) in forwards, where CS enzyme activity also displayed a strong association with distance covered (r = 0.75, p = 0.019). For high-intensity skating, NAKα2 (r = 0.56, p = 0.025) and KATP (r = 0.50, p = 0.048) similarly exhibited the strongest associations, persisting within forwards (r = 0.63, p = 0.052 and r = 0.72; p = 0.018, respectively). In conclusion, although several muscle proteins involved in ion and metabolic regulation were associated with performance, only NAKα2 and KATP displayed consistent relationships within positions. Moreover, CS enzyme activity was strongly related to total distance within forwards, coherent with the proposed importance of oxidative capacity in intense intermittent exercise.

KW - fatigue

KW - high intensity intermittent exercise

KW - ion transporters

KW - team sports

KW - testing

KW - tracking

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U2 - 10.14814/phy2.70081

DO - 10.14814/phy2.70081

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 39523499

AN - SCOPUS:85208798840

SN - 2051-817X

VL - 12

JO - Physiological Reports

JF - Physiological Reports

IS - 21

M1 - e70081

ER -

Associations between skeletal muscle phenotype, positional role, and on-ice performance in elite male ice hockey players

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