ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN LOWER-LIMB MUSCULAR STRENGTH, RUNNING TECHNIQUE, AND SPRINT PERFORMANCE IN MIXED-SEX UNIVERSITY ATHLETES: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Authors: Karimov Bekzod Boyqobilovich

Abstract: Background: Lower-limb muscular strength is a well-established contributor to sprint performance; however, the mechanistic pathways through which strength influences sprint outcomes — specifically through modulation of running technique parameters — remain insufficiently characterized in mixed-sex university athlete populations. Objective: This cross-sectional study examined the associations between lower-limb muscular strength indices, running technique variables, and 30-metre sprint performance in university athletes, and identified the primary strength predictors of sprint time and biomechanical efficiency. Methods: Thirty university athletes (n = 18 males, n = 12 females; mean age: 20.9 ± 1.8 years) participated in a single-session assessment protocol. Muscular strength was evaluated using the one-repetition maximum (1RM) bilateral leg press and isokinetic dynamometry for knee extensor and flexor peak torque (60°/s). Sprint performance was assessed over 30 metres using dual-beam infrared timing gates. Running technique variables — stride length (SL), stride frequency (SF), and ground contact time (GCT) — were captured via inertial measurement unit sensors. Pearson and Spearman correlations, independent-samples t-tests, and stepwise multiple regression analyses were employed. Significance was set at p < 0.05 with Cohen's d and r effect sizes reported. Results: Leg press 1RM (r = −0.71, p < 0.001) and knee extensor peak torque (r = −0.66, p < 0.001) were significantly and negatively correlated with 30-m sprint time. SL was significantly positively correlated with leg press 1RM (r = 0.63, p < 0.001). The hamstring-to-quadriceps ratio was not a significant independent predictor of sprint time (p = 0.14). Stepwise regression revealed that leg press 1RM and SL together explained 68% of the variance in 30-m sprint time (R² = 0.68, p < 0.001). Males demonstrated significantly shorter sprint times and greater strength values than females (p < 0.05 for all). Conclusion: Lower-limb maximal strength, particularly leg press strength, is a strong predictor of sprint performance in university athletes, operating primarily through modulation of stride length. Strength and conditioning programmes targeting lower-limb maximal force production should be considered a foundational component of sprint performance development in this population.

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