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Exercise Science

Western University

2014

Aging

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Decreased Peak Muscle Power Is Associated With Motor Unit Loss In The Lower Limb Of Older Adults, Neal B. Mckinnon Aug 2014

Decreased Peak Muscle Power Is Associated With Motor Unit Loss In The Lower Limb Of Older Adults, Neal B. Mckinnon

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This study investigated the relationship between motor unit (MU) properties and the strength and power of two lower limb muscles in healthy young and old adults. Twelve older adults (mean age, 77 ± 5 yrs) and twelve young adults (mean age, 24 ± 3 yrs) were studied. MU properties of the tibialis anterior (TA) and vastus medialis (VM) muscles were determined using decomposition-enhanced spike-triggered averaging (DE-STA). Motor unit number estimates (MUNE) of the TA were significantly reduced (p>0.05) in older adults (102 ± 76) compared to young adults (234 ± 109), primarily as a result of significantly larger surface-detected …


Quantifying The Effect Of Age And Contraction Mode On The Force-Velocity-Power Relationship In The Knee Extensors, Justin R. Paturel May 2014

Quantifying The Effect Of Age And Contraction Mode On The Force-Velocity-Power Relationship In The Knee Extensors, Justin R. Paturel

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

PURPOSE: To assess and compare the force-velocity-power relationship (F-V-P) using isotonic and isokinetic knee extensions in 11 younger (19-30y) and 11 older (69-81y) men. METHODS: The construction of the F-V-P curves were attained with each participant performing maximal, explosive knee extensions at 8 different loads (isotonic) and 8 different velocities (isokinetic) on a Cybex HUMAC NORM dynamometer. Maximal voluntary contraction (MVC or Po), maximal shortening velocity (Vmax), maximum power, optimal torque (Popt) and velocity (Vopt) were assessed and compared. RESULTS: The older men were 43% weaker, 18% slower and ~54% less powerful …