Biomedical Research

The purpose of this study was to determine if an association exists between tongue strength and lower muscle strength, and skeletal muscle mass, in Taekwondo athletes. In this cross-sectional study, a total of 35 young adults aged ≥ 19 (14 women and 21 men) gave their written informed consent to participate. A bio-impedance body composition analyser determined body fat percentage, skeletal muscle mass, and other body composition values. A hand-held dynamometer was used to evaluate quadriceps lower muscle strength. Tongue strength was assessed by measuring maximal tongue pressure against a tongue depressor connected to a strain gauge dynamometer. Partial correlation coefficients for tongue strength significantly correlated with skeletal muscle mass (r=0.518, P=0.001), grip strength (r=0.460, P=0.005), and lower muscle strength (r=0.487, P=0.003). However, tongue strength was inversely correlated with flexibility (r=-0.406, P=0.016). After adjusting for sex, tongue strength remained significantly correlated with skeletal muscle mass (r=0.345, P=0.045), and lower muscle strength (r=0.346, P=0.045). This crosssectional study is the first to report the association between tongue strength and grip strength, lower muscle strength, and skeletal muscle mass, in Taekwondo athletes. Our data suggests that the measurement of tongue strength may provide a new approach to determining muscle strength.

Author(s): Jong-Hwan Park, Eun-Seok Yeo, Bohyeon Kim, Seok-Hun Lee, Yoo-Chan Kwon
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