Time‐of‐Day Effect on the Torque and Neuromuscular Properties of Dominant and Non‐Dominant Quadriceps Femoris

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Abstract
The study was conducted first, to determine the possibility of a dichotomy between circadian rhythm of maximal torque production of the knee extensors of the dominant and non‐dominant legs, and second, to determine whether the possible dichotomy could be linked to a change in the downward drive of the central nervous system and/or to phenomena prevailing at the muscular level. The dominant leg was defined as the one with which subjects spontaneously kick a football. Tests were performed at 06:00, 10:00, 14:00, 18:00, and 22:00 h. To distinguish the neural and muscular mechanisms that influence muscle strength, the electromyographic and mechanical muscle responses associated with electrically evoked and/or voluntary contractions of the human quadriceps and semi‐tendinosus muscles for each leg were recorded and compared. The main finding was an absence of interaction between time‐of‐day and dominance effects on the torque associated with maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) of both quadriceps. A significant ...