Mechanistic Drivers of Acute PAPE Responsiveness: Muscle Architecture, Contractile Kinetics, and Excitability in a Randomized Controlled Trial

NCT06982937 | Completed Results

• 1 other identifier: 01/2023
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 44
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of this study is to find out if one short set of heavy half-squats can help football players jump higher right away-and to understand what happens inside their muscles and nerves to make that boost happen. Key questions

• Will performing 2-3 half-squats at 90% of one-rep max give a bigger jump boost than jogging on a treadmill for five minutes?
• After each warm-up, how do muscle speed and stiffness, muscle size and fiber angle, and nerve signals change over the next 12 minutes?
• Does each player's contribution of fast and slow muscle fibers affect how much and how long their jump improves? Study Plan Researches will invite 44 healthy football players, ages 18-21, who train regularly and meet our health rules. No one will know which warm-up each player does until the end. Participants will:
• Get baseline tests of jump height, muscle speed and stiffness (using a harmless electrical sensor), muscle size and fiber angle (using ultrasound), and nerve signals (using sticky pads on the skin).
• Be randomly assigned to either:
• Heavy-squat group: 2-3 half-squats at 90% of their one-rep max
• Jogging group: easy jog or walk on a treadmill for five minutes
• Repeat all tests right after the warm-up and again at 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 minutes to see how jump height and all muscle and nerve measures change over time.
• Have their muscle fiber mix estimated from the first muscle-speed test to see if fiber type explains who gets the biggest jump boost. All tests are safe, painless, and approved by an ethics board. Players can stop at any time without giving a reason. This study will help athletes and coaches choose the best warm-up to get stronger, faster jumps right before a game or practice.

Conditions

Neuromuscular Function; Muscle Activation; Postactivation Potentiation; Ultrasonography; Tensiomyography; Contraction; MHC-I

Keywords

MHC-I; Tensiomyography; Ulstrasonography; Electromyogpraphy; Postactivation potentiation; PAPE

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (58)

• Jump Height 4 Minute

  4 minutes post-intervention

• Jump Height 6 Minute

  6 minutes post-intervention

• Jump Height 8 Minute

  8 minutes post-intervention

• Jump Height 10 Minute

  10 minutes post-intervention

• Jump Height 12 Minute

  12 minute post-intervention

• Muscle Thickness Post

  Immediate post-intervention

• Muscle Thickness 4 Minute

  4 minute post-intervention (single session)

• Muscle Thickness 6 Minute

  6 minutes post-intervention

• Muscle Thickness 8 Minute

  8 minutes post-intervention

• Muscle Thickness 10 Minute

  10 minutes post-intervention

• Muscle Thickness 12 Minute

  12 minutes post-intervention

• Pennation Angle Post

  Immediate post-intervention

• Pennation Angle 4 Minute

  4 minutes post-intervention

• Pennation Angle 6 Minute

  6 minutes post-intervention

• Pennation Angle 8 Minute

  8 minutes post-intervention

• Pennation Angle 10 Minute

  10 minutes post-intervention

• Pennation Angle 12 Minute

  12 minutes post-intervention

• Fascicle Length Post

  Immediate post-intervention

• Fascicle Length 4 Minute

  4 minutes post-intervention

• Fascicle Length 6 Minute

  6 minutes post-intervention

• Fascicle Length 8 Minute

  8 minutes post-intervention

• Fascicle Length 10 Minute

  10' minutes post-intervention

• Fascicle Length 12 Minute

  12 minutes post-intervention

• Muscle Activation During Countermovement Jump in 4 Minute

  Surface electromyographic activity (voluntary activation level) of the vastus lateralis muscle recorded during a standardized countermovement jump. Higher values indicate greater muscle activation of the vastus lateralis during the jump, whereas lower values indicate reduced activation. Results presented as % from maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) during the procedure of normalization (locked at 90 degrees knee extension)

  4 minutes post-intervention

• Muscle Activation During Countermovement Jump in 6 Minute

  Surface electromyographic activity (voluntary activation level) of the vastus lateralis muscle recorded during a standardized countermovement jump. Higher values indicate greater muscle activation of the vastus lateralis during the jump, whereas lower values indicate reduced activation. Results presented as % from maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) during the procedure of normalization (locked at 90 degrees knee extension)

  6 minutes post-intervention

• Muscle Activation During Countermovement Jump in 8 Minute

  Surface electromyographic activity (voluntary activation level) of the vastus lateralis muscle recorded during a standardized countermovement jump. Higher values indicate greater muscle activation of the vastus lateralis during the jump, whereas lower values indicate reduced activation. Results presented as % from maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) during the procedure of normalization (locked at 90 degrees knee extension)

  8 minutes post-intervention

• Muscle Activation During Countermovement Jump in 10 Minute

  Surface electromyographic activity (voluntary activation level) of the vastus lateralis muscle recorded during a standardized countermovement jump. Higher values indicate greater muscle activation of the vastus lateralis during the jump, whereas lower values indicate reduced activation. Results presented as % from maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) during the procedure of normalization (locked at 90 degrees knee extension)

  10 minutes post-intervention

• Muscle Activation During Countermovement Jump in 12 Minute

  Surface electromyographic activity (voluntary activation level) of the vastus lateralis muscle recorded during a standardized countermovement jump. Higher values indicate greater muscle activation of the vastus lateralis during the jump, whereas lower values indicate reduced activation. Results presented as % from maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) during the procedure of normalization (locked at 90 degrees knee extension)

  12 minutes post-intervention

• Contraction Time Post

  Immediate post-intervention

• Contraction Time 4 Minute

  4 minutes post-intervention

• Contraction Time 6 Minute

  6 minutes post-intervention

• Contraction Time 8 Minute

  8 minutes post-intervention

• Contraction Time 10 Minute

  10 minutes post-intervention

• Contraction Time 12 Minutes

  12 post-intervention

• Delay Time Post

  Immediate post-intervention

• Delay Time 4 Minute

  4 minutes post-intervention

• Delay Time 6 Minute

  6 minutes post-intervention

• Delay Time 8 Minute

  8 minutes post-intervention

• Delay Time 10 Minute

  10 minutes post-intervention

• Delay Time 12 Minute

  12 minutes post-intervention

• Relaxation Time Post

  Immediate post-intervention

• Relaxation Time 4 Minute

  4 minutes post-intervention

• Relaxation Time 6 Minute

  6 minutes post-intervention

• Relaxation Time 8 Minute

  8 minutes post-intervention

• Relaxation Time 10 Minute

  10 minutes post-intervention

• Relaxation Time 12 Minute

  12 minutes post-intervention

• Muscle Displacement Post

  Immediate post-intervention

• Muscle Displacement 4 Minute

  4 minutes post-intervention

• Muscle Displacement 6 Minute

  6' post intervention measure

  6 minutes post-intervention

• Muscle Displacement 8 Minute

  8 minutes post-intervention

• Muscle Displacement 10 Minute

  12 minutes post-intervention

• Muscle Displacement 12 Minute

  12 minutes post-intervention

• Sustain Time Post

  Immediate post-intervention

• Sustain Time 4 Minute

  4 minutes post-intervention

• Sustain Time 6 Minute

  6 minutes post-intervention

• Sustain Time 8 Minute

  8 minutes post-intervention

• Sustain Time 10 Minutes

  10 minutes post-intervention

• Sustain Time 12 Minute

  12 minutes post-intervention

Study Arms (2)

High-Intensity Half-Squat

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants perform one set half-squats using a free-weight barbell in a squat rack to elicit PAPE

Other: High-Intensity Half-Squat

Treadmill running

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants jogged on a level treadmill for five minutes at a comfortable pace to provide general muscle warm-up without significant neuromuscular priming.

Other: Treadmill running

Interventions

High-Intensity Half-Squat OTHER

Participants in the conditioning arm perform a single set of two to three half-squats with a free-weight barbell set at 90% of their one-rep max (1RM). Each squat is taken down until the thigh is parallel to the floor (knee at \~90°) and then driven upward as explosively as possible.

High-Intensity Half-Squat

Treadmill running OTHER

Participants engaged in a standardized 5-minute treadmill warm-up. Participants were instructed to walk at a moderate, self-selected pace of approximately 7-9 km/h, maintaining an incline of 0%. Heart rate and perceived exertion were monitored to ensure that the activity remained within a light-intensity range (Borg scale: 6-11).

Treadmill running

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 23 Years
• Gender Eligibility Details: Eligibility is restricted to participants who are biologically male and self-identify as male
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Male football players aged 18-23 years
• Minimum of 3 structured training sessions per week for the past 6 months
• No history of lower-limb musculoskeletal injuries (e.g., ligament sprain, muscle tear) within the past 2 months
• No diagnosed dermatological conditions affecting electrode placement (e.g., psoriasis, eczema)
• No cardiovascular disease (e.g., hypertension, arrhythmia)
• No neuromuscular disorders (e.g., neuropathy, myopathy) on clinical examination
• Able to complete a 1RM half-squat protocol and countermovement jump without pain

You may not qualify if:

• Use of performance-enhancing supplements/medications within 2 weeks prior to enrollment
• Missed more than 4 scheduled training sessions per month over the past 2 months
• Blood pressure \>140/90 mmHg at rest or resting heart rate \>90 bpm
• Any contraindication to electrical stimulation (e.g., pacemaker, implanted metal device)
• Failure to provide written informed consent or withdrawal of consent at any time

Sponsors & Collaborators

• The Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education in Katowice: lead

Study Sites (1)

The Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education in Katowice

Katowice, Silesian Voivodeship, 40-065, Poland

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Simunic B, Degens H, Rittweger J, Narici M, Mekjavic IB, Pisot R. Noninvasive estimation of myosin heavy chain composition in human skeletal muscle. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2011 Sep;43(9):1619-25. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e31821522d0.

  PMID: 21552151 BACKGROUND

Limitations and Caveats

First, although outcome assessment was blinded, full double-blinding is pragmatically challenging in strength interventions and expectancy effects cannot be entirely excluded. Second, the fiber-type estimate pertains to a single muscle (VL), whereas CMJ performance reflects coordinated output from multiple muscle groups; generalizing VL composition to the whole task effector has inherent constraints. Finally, the MHC-I content of 26.14 ± 9.19% in the VL appears somewhat underestimated

Results Point of Contact

• Title: Katarzyna Sadowska
• Organization: Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education

komisjabioetyczna@awf.katowice.pl

32 207 5189

Publication Agreements

• PI is Sponsor Employee: Yes

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: TRIPLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, CARE PROVIDER, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: PhD student, lecturer

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 5, 2025
• First Posted: May 21, 2025
• Study Start: February 2, 2025
• Primary Completion: June 25, 2025
• Study Completion: July 25, 2025
• Last Updated: December 16, 2025
• Results First Posted: December 16, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-11

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

PL (1)