Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Mechanisms Of The Age-Related Power Reduction In The Knee Extensor Muscles Of Men And Women, David Wrucke

Master's Theses (2009 -)

The mechanisms for the loss in limb muscle power output in old (60-79 years) and very old adults (≥80 years) and whether these mechanisms differ between older men and women are not well-understood. The aims of the thesis are to 1) compare peak power output of the knee extensor muscles between young, old, and very old adults and 2) determine the physiological mechanisms for the age-related loss of power in men compared with women. 31 young (22.9±3.0 years, 16 men), 83 old (70.4±4.9 years, 44 men), and 16 very old adults (85.8±4.2 years, 7 men) performed maximal isokinetic contractions at …

The Role Of Eye Movements, Attention, And Hand Movements On Age-Related Differences In Pegboard Tests, Brittany Heintz Walters, Wendy E. Huddleston, Kristian M. O'Connor, Jinsung Wang, Marie K. Hoeger Bement, Kevin G. Keenan

Physical Therapy Faculty Research and Publications

Well-documented manual dexterity impairments in older adults may critically depend on the processing of visual information. The purpose of this study was to determine age-related changes in eye and hand movements during commonly used pegboard tests and the association with manual dexterity impairments in older adults. The relationship between attentional deficits and manual dexterity was also assessed. Eye movements and hand kinematics of 20 young (20–38 yr) and 20 older (65–85 yr) adults were recorded during 9-Hole Pegboard, Grooved Pegboard, and a visuospatial dual test. Results were compared with standardized tests of attention (The Test of Everyday Attention and Trail …

Mechanisms Of Fatigue With Aging: Evidence From The Whole-Limb To The Single Cell In Humans, Christopher W. Sundberg

Dissertations (1934 -)

Aging is accompanied by a loss of muscle mass and increased fatigability of limb muscles making it difficult for old adults to generate the force and power necessary to perform daily activities, such as ascending a flight of stairs. The mechanisms for the age-related increase in fatigability in old and very old adults (≥80 yrs) and whether there are differences between men and women are unknown. The purpose of this dissertation was to determine the mechanisms for the age-related increase in fatigability in men and women by studying fatigue at the level of the whole-limb and within the muscle cells. …

Aging And Muscle Fatigability In The Upper Extremity, Andrew Kuplic

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Aging is accompanied by reductions in strength and contraction velocity, and increased fatigability of limb muscles during high-velocity dynamic contractions. These age-related changes affect functional tasks and are well described for the lower limb, with less known about the upper limb muscles. The aims of the thesis were to compare in young and old men and women: (1) maximal torque and power of the elbow flexor muscles across a range of isokinetic velocities, and (2) the neural (supraspinal) and muscular mechanisms of fatigue induced by high-velocity dynamic contractions of the elbow flexor muscles. 28 young (23.2 ± 2.6 years) men …

Only Women Report Increase In Pain Threshold Following Fatiguing Contractions Of The Upper Extremity, Kathy J. Lemley, Jonathon Senefeld, Sandra K. Hunter, Marie K. Hoeger Bement

Physical Therapy Faculty Research and Publications

Purpose

The perception of pain in response to a noxious stimulus can be markedly reduced following an acute bout of exercise [exercise-induced hypoalgesia (EIH)]. Sex differences in EIH frequently occur after exercise but may be confounded by the sex differences in muscle fatigue. The purpose was to determine if sex differences in pain relief occur after an exercise protocol when muscle fatigue is similar for both young and older men and women.

Methods

Pain perception of 33 men (15 young) and 31 women (19 young) was measured using a pressure pain stimulus on the left index finger before and after …

Submaximal Oxygen Uptake Kinetics, Functional Mobility, And Physical Activity In Older Adults With Heart Failure And Reduced Ejection Fraction, Scott L. Hummel, John Herald, Craig Alpert, Kimberlee A. Gretebeck, Wendy S. Champoux, Donald R. Dengel, Peter V. Vaitkevicius, Neil B. Alexander

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Background: Submaximal oxygen uptake measures are more feasible and may better predict clinical cardiac outcomes than maximal tests in older adults with heart failure (HF). We examined relationships between maximal oxygen uptake, submaximal oxygen kinetics, functional mobility, and physical activity in older adults with HF and reduced ejection fraction.

Methods: Older adults with HF and reduced ejection fraction (n = 25, age 75 ± 7 years) were compared to 25 healthy age- and gender-matched controls. Assessments included a maximal treadmill test for peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak), oxygen uptake kinetics at onset of and on recovery from a submaximal treadmill test, …

Conditioned Pain Modulation Predicts Exercise-Induced Hypoalgesia In Healthy Adults, Kathy J. Lemley, Sandra K. Hunter, Marie K. Hoeger Bement

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

Introduction: Conditioned pain modulation (CPM) is the concept that pain inhibits pain and has potential rehabilitation implications for exercise prescription. The purpose of this study was to determine whether changes in pressure pain perception after a thermal conditioning stimulus (i.e., CPM) was attenuated with aging and whether CPM predicted pain relief after exercise (exercise-induced hypoalgesia (EIH)) in healthy young and older adults.

Methods: Twenty young (21.9 ± 3.3 yr, 10 men) and 19 older (72.0 ± 4.5 yr, 10 men) adults participated in three sessions: one familiarization and two experimental (EIH and CPM) sessions. Pressure pain perception was assessed using …

Mechanisms Of Isometric Exercise-Induced Hypoalgesia In Young And Older Adults, Kathy J. Lemley

Dissertations (1934 -)

Pain reduction following exercise (exercise-induced hypoalgesia; EIH) is well-established in young adults. Specific to isometric exercise, the greatest EIH follows low intensity contractions held for long duration. The EIH response of older adults is not known; and the mechanisms for EIH are unclear at any age. This dissertation aimed to address these unknowns through a series of three studies. In study one, repeatability of pressure pain reports (pain threshold and pain ratings) was assessed in healthy older adults, including the impact of psychological factors. Pain reports, measured before and after quiet rest, did not change following quiet rest. Higher state …

Fatigability And Recovery Of Arm Muscles With Advanced Age For Dynamic And Isometric Contractions, Tejin Yoon, Bonnie Schlinder-Delap, Sandra K. Hunter

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

This study determined whether age-related mechanisms can increase fatigue of arm muscles during maximal velocity dynamic contractions, as it occurs in the lower limb. We compared elbow flexor fatigue of young (n = 10, 20.8 ± 2.7 years) and old men (n = 16, 73.8 ± 6.1 years) during and in recovery from a dynamic and an isometric postural fatiguing task. Each task was maintained until failure while supporting a load equivalent to 20% of maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) torque. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was used to assess supraspinal fatigue (superimposed twitch, SIT) and muscle relaxation. Time …

Sex Differences In Marathon Running With Advanced Age: Physiology Or Participation?, Sandra K. Hunter, Alyssa A. Stevens

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

The sex difference in marathon performance increases with age and place of the finisher, even at the elite level. Sociological factors may explain the increased sex gap, but there is limited empirical evidence for specific factors.

Purpose: The purposes of this study were to determine the sex difference in velocity for the marathon across the place of finisher (1st–10th place) with advanced age and (2) to determine the association between the sex difference in participation (ratio of men-to-women finishers) and the sex difference in running velocity.

Methods: Running times of the first 10 placed men and women in the 5-yr …

Supraspinal Fatigue Impedes Recovery From A Low-Intensity Sustained Contraction In Old Adults, Tejin Yoon, Bonnie Schlinder-Delap, Manda L. Keller, Sandra K. Hunter

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

This study determined the contribution of supraspinal fatigue and contractile properties to the age difference in neuromuscular fatigue during and recovery from a low-intensity sustained contraction. Cortical stimulation was used to evoke measures of voluntary activation and muscle relaxation during and after a contraction sustained at 20% of maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) until task failure with elbow flexor muscles in 14 young adults (20.9 ± 3.6 yr, 7 men) and 14 old adults (71.6 ± 5.4 yr, 7 men). Old adults exhibited a longer time to task failure than the young adults (23.8 ± 9.0 vs. 11.5 ± 3.9 min, …

Cognitive Training With Healthy Older Adults: Investigating The Effectiveness Of The Brain Age Software For Nintendo Ds, Shaun Michael English

Dissertations (1934 -)

An increasing number of empirical studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of cognitive training (CT) with healthy, cognitively intact older adults. Less is known regarding the effectiveness of commercially available “brain training” programs. The current study investigated the impact of daily CT presented via the Brain Age® software for Nintendo DS on neurocognitive abilities in a sample of healthy, community-dwelling older adults. Over the six-week study, participants in the CT group completed training activities and were compared to an active control group who played card games on the Nintendo DS. At pre-test and post-test, a wide range of empirically validated neuropsychological …

Prehabilitation Before Total Knee Arthroplasty Increases Strength And Function In Older Adults With Severe Osteoarthritis, Ann M. Swank, Joseph B. Kachelman, Wendy Bibeau, Peter M. Quesada, John Nyland, Arthur Malkani, Robert V. Topp

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Preparing for the stress of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) surgery by exercise training (prehabilitation) may improve strength and function before surgery and, if effective, has the potential to contribute to postoperative recovery. Subjects with severe osteoarthritis (OA), pain intractable to medicine and scheduled for TKA were randomized into a usual care (UC) group (n = 36) or usual care and exercise (UC + EX) group (n = 35). The UC group maintained normal daily activities before their TKA. The UC + EX group performed a comprehensive prehabilitation program that included resistance training using bands, flexibility, and step training at least …

Response To Task-Specific Sex Differences In Muscle Fatigue: Is There A Common Underlying Cause?, Sandra K. Hunter

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Time To Task Failure Differs With Load Type When Old Adults Perform A Submaximal Fatiguing Contraction, Sandra K. Hunter, Ludovic Rochette, Ashley Critchlow, Roger M. Enoka

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

Young adults exhibit a longer time to task failure when performing a submaximal isometric contraction by pushing against a force transducer (force task) than when supporting an equivalent inertial load (position task). The purpose of this study was to compare the time to failure for old adults when they performed a force task and a position task with the elbow flexor muscles. Eighteen old adults (72 ± 4 years) performed the force and position tasks at 20% maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) force until task failure. The time to task failure was briefer for the position task (10.6 ± 6.1 min) …