ORIGINAL PAPER
Comparative analysis of calf muscle endurance metrics in male and female athletes from different sports
1
Department of Physiology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
2
Division of Health, Engineering, Computing and Science, Te Huataki Waiora School of Health, University of Waikato, Adams Centre for High Performance, Tauranga, New Zealand
3
College of Sports Science and Technology, Mahidol University, Salaya, Phuttamonthon, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
Submission date: 2025-10-03
Acceptance date: 2026-02-06
Online publication date: 2026-05-21
Corresponding author
Parunchaya Jamkrajang
College of Sports Science and Technology, Mahidol University, 999 Phuttamonthon 4 Rd, Salaya, Phuttamonthon, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand
College of Sports Science and Technology, Mahidol University, 999 Phuttamonthon 4 Rd, Salaya, Phuttamonthon, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Purpose:
To investigate calf muscle endurance in athletes participating in sports with high demands for repetitive jumping and sprinting and to explore potential sex differences.
Methods:
189 recreational athletes aged 18–25 years old (40 runners, 49 basketball and volleyball players, 41 badminton and tennis players, 59 soccer and futsal players) performed a maximal number of single-leg calf raises on the edge of a box following a metronome beat (60 beats per minute) with both legs tested in random order, with only the dominant leg analysed in this study. An upright trunk and a straight knee were maintained throughout the testing.
Results:
Significantly greater calf muscle absolute work capacity was observed in male court sport players compared to male field sport players by 46.53% (p < 0.001) and female court sport players by 56.46% (p = 0.002) identified by total work metrics. The normalised total positive work was also higher in male court sport players by 43.92% (p = 0.006), while sex differences in normalised work were not significant. No significant differences were shown in peak heights and number of repetitions among the four sports or between sexes within the other sports.
Conclusions:
Greater absolute work capacity in court sports players reflects sport-specific adaptations to repetitive vertical movements, while sex differences in absolute work are attributable to body mass rather than superior muscular endurance. Our findings suggest the potential benefits of integrating calf muscle training into court sport players.
To investigate calf muscle endurance in athletes participating in sports with high demands for repetitive jumping and sprinting and to explore potential sex differences.
Methods:
189 recreational athletes aged 18–25 years old (40 runners, 49 basketball and volleyball players, 41 badminton and tennis players, 59 soccer and futsal players) performed a maximal number of single-leg calf raises on the edge of a box following a metronome beat (60 beats per minute) with both legs tested in random order, with only the dominant leg analysed in this study. An upright trunk and a straight knee were maintained throughout the testing.
Results:
Significantly greater calf muscle absolute work capacity was observed in male court sport players compared to male field sport players by 46.53% (p < 0.001) and female court sport players by 56.46% (p = 0.002) identified by total work metrics. The normalised total positive work was also higher in male court sport players by 43.92% (p = 0.006), while sex differences in normalised work were not significant. No significant differences were shown in peak heights and number of repetitions among the four sports or between sexes within the other sports.
Conclusions:
Greater absolute work capacity in court sports players reflects sport-specific adaptations to repetitive vertical movements, while sex differences in absolute work are attributable to body mass rather than superior muscular endurance. Our findings suggest the potential benefits of integrating calf muscle training into court sport players.
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