Abstract
The examination of mechanisms contributing to the age-related reductions in rapid velocity development is limited. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) and echo intensity (EI) on plantarflexor rate of velocity development (RVD) in older adults. Twenty-two men (mean ± SD age = 69 ± 3 years) performed three maximal plantarflexion voluntary isokinetic muscle actions at a velocity of 2.09 rad · s−1. Peak RVD was determined as the peak derivative of the velocity–time curve from the onset of velocity development to the onset of the load range. B-mode ultrasound was used to examine CSA and EI from the lateral and medial gastrocnemius. Plantarflexor RVD was related to EI (r = −0.491, P = 0.020), but not CSA (r = −0.003, P = 0.989). The findings of the present investigation suggest that alterations in muscle tissue composition (i.e., increase in intramuscular fat and/or fibrous tissue) may influence the ability of older adults to rapidly accelerate their limb.
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Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Eric Sobolewski Ph.D., Michael Scharville M.A., and Joe Rosenberg M.A. for their help with the data collection of this study.
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This study was approved by the University Institutional Review Board. All procedures performed in this study were in accordance with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments.
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Mota, J.A., Giuliani, H.K., Gerstner, G.R. et al. The rate of velocity development associates with muscle echo intensity, but not muscle cross-sectional area in older men. Aging Clin Exp Res 30, 861–865 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-017-0829-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-017-0829-1