• Junya Saeki, Tome Ikezoe, Soyoka Yoshimi, Masatoshi Nakamura, and Noriaki Ichihashi.
• Faculty of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, 2-579-15 Mikajima, Tokorozawa, Saitama 359-1192, Japan.; Human Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 53 Shogoin-Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan; Research Fellow of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, 5-3-1 Kojimachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0083, Japan. Electronic address: saeki.junya.55z@kyoto-u.jp.
• Clin Biomech (Bristol, Avon). 2019 Jan 1; 61: 222-226.

BackgroundWe aimed to investigate the menstrual cycle variation and the gender difference of the triceps surae muscle stiffness and passive stiffness of the ankle joint.MethodsThe subjects of the study included 12 healthy young women and 12 healthy young men. Shear elastic moduli of the lateral gastrocnemius, medial gastrocnemius, and soleus muscles were measured as an index of muscle stiffness using shear wave elastography. The passive stiffness of the ankle joint was calculated from passive torque when the ankle joint was passively dorsiflexed. Measurements were conducted in the follicular, ovulatory, and luteal phases to examine the menstrual cycle variation.FindingsThere was no difference noted in the passive stiffness or triceps surae muscle stiffness for young women in the menstrual cycle. As for gender differences, passive stiffness in all menstrual phases in women was lower while the soleus muscle stiffness in women was higher, compared to that in men.InterpretationOur findings suggest that passive stiffness and muscle stiffness did not differ in the menstrual cycle. In addition, the measured part of the soleus was more tensioned in women than in men.Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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