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Mechanical Properties of Aging Skeletal Muscle

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Mechanical Properties of Aging Soft Tissues

Part of the book series: Engineering Materials and Processes ((EMP))

Abstract

Aging skeletal muscle exhibits changes in the tissue architecture, muscle fiber type, and other molecular substructures. These changes often result in sarcopenia, characterized by losses in muscle mass, force generation, contractile velocity, and power. Total force generation is the primary indicator of skeletal muscle strength, and is the summation of the active force produced by muscle fibers and a passive force from the tissue stretching. The elastic and viscoelastic mechanical properties of skeletal muscle can be measured experimentally in vitro, in situ, as well as in vivo for both active and passive muscle. These properties can provide insight into the causes of decreased force generation, but few studies have explored how they change with age. Although some aging-induced increases in passive elastic stiffness have been documented, their effects on overall muscle function are still unknown. A more complete description of aging effects requires further research into changes in the viscoelastic properties of skeletal muscle and their underlying structural mechanisms.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA

    Yingxin Gao & Matt Leineweber

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  1. Yingxin Gao
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  2. Matt Leineweber
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Correspondence to Yingxin Gao .

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  1. University of Manchester Materials Science Center, Manchester, United Kingdom

    Brian Derby

  2. University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom

    Riaz Akhtar

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Gao, Y., Leineweber, M. (2015). Mechanical Properties of Aging Skeletal Muscle. In: Derby, B., Akhtar, R. (eds) Mechanical Properties of Aging Soft Tissues. Engineering Materials and Processes. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-03970-1_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-03970-1_4

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