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Relationship between quadriceps femoris echo intensity, muscle power, and functional capacity of older men

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Abstract

Increased proportion of non-contractile elements can be observed during aging by enhanced skeletal muscle echo intensity (EI). Studies have demonstrated that an increase in rectus femoris EI may affect physical performance. However, it is still unknown whether the whole quadriceps femoris EI (QEI) influences strength, power, and functional capacity of an older population. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to determine the correlation between QEI, the four individual quadriceps portions EI, and muscular performance of older men. Fifty sedentary healthy men (66.1 ± 4.5 years, 1.75 ± 0.06 m, 80.2 ± 11.0 kg) volunteered for the present study. The QEI and EI of the four quadriceps portions were calculated by ultrasound imaging. Knee extension one repetition maximum (1RM), isometric peak torque (PT), and rate of torque development (RTD) were obtained as measures of muscular strength. Muscular power was determined by knee extension with 60 % of 1RM and countermovement jump (CMJ). The 30-s sit-to-stand test was evaluated as a functional capacity parameter. QEI and all individual EI were correlated to functional capacity and power during CMJ (p ≤ 0.05), but rectus femoris EI was not related to knee extension average power (p > 0.05). There were significant correlations between all EI variables, 1RM, PT, and RTD at 0.2 s (p ≤ 0.05), but only vastus medialis EI and QEI were correlated to RTD at 0.05 s (p ≤ 0.05). The results of the present study suggest that QEI is related to muscular power and functional capacity of older subjects, but the EI of some individual quadriceps portions may underestimate the correlations with muscular performance.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the CNPq (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico) and CAPES (Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior) for their financial support. The ultrasound device used in the present study was supplied by CAPES (Edital Pro-equipamentos institucional Nº 025/2011).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Exercise Research Laboratory, Physical Education School, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil

    Eurico Nestor Wilhelm, Anderson Rech, Felipe Minozzo, Regis Radaelli, Cíntia Ehlers Botton & Ronei Silveira Pinto

  2. Centre of Sports Medicine and Human Performance, Brunel University, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB8 3PH, UK

    Eurico Nestor Wilhelm

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  1. Eurico Nestor Wilhelm
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Correspondence to Eurico Nestor Wilhelm.

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Wilhelm, E.N., Rech, A., Minozzo, F. et al. Relationship between quadriceps femoris echo intensity, muscle power, and functional capacity of older men. AGE 36, 1113–1122 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11357-014-9625-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11357-014-9625-4

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