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Differences in quadriceps muscle strength and fatigue between lean and obese subjects

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Abstract

The present study aimed to compare quadriceps femoris muscle strength and fatigue between obese (grade II and III) and nonobese adults. Ten obese (mean age: 25 years; mean BMI: 41 kg/m²) and ten lean (mean age: 27 years; mean BMI: 23 kg/m²) men were tested. Quadriceps muscle fatigue was quantified as the (percent) torque loss during a voluntary isokinetic (50 maximal contractions at 180°/s) and an electrostimulated (40 Hz) isometric protocol (5 min, 10% of the maximal torque). Maximal voluntary isometric and isokinetic torque and power were also measured. Voluntary torque loss was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in obese (−63.5%) than in lean subjects (−50.6%). Stimulated torque decreased significantly (P < 0.05) but equally in the two subject groups. Obese subjects displayed higher absolute (+20%; P < 0.01) but lower relative (i.e., normalized to body mass) (−32%; P < 0.001) muscle torque and power than their lean counterparts. Obese individuals demonstrated lower fatigue resistance during voluntary but not during stimulated knee extensions compared to their nonobese counterparts. Peripheral mechanisms of muscle fatigue—at least those associated to the present stimulated test—were not influenced by obesity. The observed quadriceps muscle function impairments (voluntary fatigue and relative strength) probably contribute to the reduced functional capacity of obese subjects during daily living activities.

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Acknowledgments

This study was partially supported by “Progetto di Ricerca Corrente”, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, IRCCS, Milan, Italy. The authors are extremely grateful to the entire staff of the Division of Auxology and of the 3rd Division of Metabolic Diseases (Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Piancavallo, Italy) for their invaluable help and to Dr A. Montesano and Mr. L. Vismara for the isokinetic device.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Neuromuscular Research Laboratory, Schulthess Klinik, Lengghalde 2, 8008, Zurich, Switzerland

    Nicola A. Maffiuletti, Urs Munzinger & Mario Bizzini

  2. Laboratoire INSERM U887, Faculté des Sciences du Sport, Université de Bourgogne, Dijon, France

    Marc Jubeau

  3. Laboratorio Sperimentale di Ricerche Endocrinologiche, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, IRCCS, Piancavallo (VB) e Milano, Italy

    Fiorenza Agosti, Alessandra De Col & Alessandro Sartorio

  4. Istituto di Bioimmagini e Fisiologia Molecolare, Consiglio Nazionale Ricerche, Segrate (MI), Italy

    Claudio L. Lafortuna

Authors
  1. Nicola A. Maffiuletti
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  2. Marc Jubeau
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  3. Urs Munzinger
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  4. Mario Bizzini
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  5. Fiorenza Agosti
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  6. Alessandra De Col
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  7. Claudio L. Lafortuna
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  8. Alessandro Sartorio
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Correspondence to Nicola A. Maffiuletti.

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Maffiuletti, N.A., Jubeau, M., Munzinger, U. et al. Differences in quadriceps muscle strength and fatigue between lean and obese subjects. Eur J Appl Physiol 101, 51–59 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-007-0471-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-007-0471-2

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