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Differences in the force/endurance relationship between young and older men

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Abstract

The aim of the present study was to ascertain if in six young (23–35 years) and in six older (70–72 years) healthy men matched for comparable absolute and specific maximal force of the dominant elbow flexors, differences in isometric endurance, myoelectrical fatigability, and shortening velocity are still recognizable. To assess the specific force, the muscle cross sectional area (CSA) was determined from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. The performance of the elbow flexors was studied by assessing the isometric endurance times (ET) at different percentages of maximal isometric contraction (MVC), the average muscle fibre conduction velocity of action potentials (CV), and the median frequency (MDF) of the surface electromyogram (sEMG) of the biceps brachii. Finally, the torque-velocity curve was assessed by means of maximal isokinetic contractions at six fixed angular velocities. All data were expressed as the mean (SD). The results showed that: (1) the ET was longer in the older subjects at the highest levels of isometric contraction, independently from the absolute force; (2) the modifications of muscle fibre CV during isometric effort progressed less rapidly in the older than the younger groups, as did those of MDF; and (3) at the same angular velocity, the older subjects exerted less absolute force than the younger subjects. These results suggest an impairment of the neuromuscular system of older men, which is less powerful and less fatigable than that of young men.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by a grant from the Istituto Superiore Prevenzione e Sicurezza Infortuni sul Lavoro (ISPESL) no. B25/2001.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Human Movement and Sport Sciences, Istituto Universitario di Scienze Motorie, 00194, Rome, Italy

    Ilenia Bazzucchi, Paola Sbriccoli & Francesco Felici

  2. Department of Human Physiology and Pharmacology, Università “La Sapienza”, 00185, Rome, Italy

    Marco Marchetti, Alessandro Rosponi & Luigi Fattorini

  3. Fondazione S. Lucia, Scientific Institute for Research, Hospitalization and Health Care, 00197, Rome, Italy

    Vincenzo Castellano & Francesco Felici

Authors
  1. Ilenia Bazzucchi
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  2. Marco Marchetti
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  3. Alessandro Rosponi
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  4. Luigi Fattorini
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  5. Vincenzo Castellano
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  6. Paola Sbriccoli
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  7. Francesco Felici
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Correspondence to Francesco Felici.

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Bazzucchi, I., Marchetti, M., Rosponi, A. et al. Differences in the force/endurance relationship between young and older men. Eur J Appl Physiol 93, 390–397 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-004-1277-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-004-1277-0

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