Rehabilitation and Therapy Commons^™

Physical Function Across The Lifespan In Adults With Multiple Sclerosis: An Application Of The Short Physical Performance Battery, Brenda Jeng, Petra Šilić, Rachel E. Bollaert, Brian M. Sandroff, Robert W. Motl

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

Background

Multiple sclerosis (MS) typically has its onset in early and middle adulthood, but the population is steadily becoming more dominated by older adults. One of the primary consequences of both MS and aging involves declines of lower extremity physical function and mobility. This cross-sectional study compared physical function status based on Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) summary and component scores between persons with MS and healthy controls across 6 age groups. We further examined associations between SPPB summary scores and component scores as well as associations between summary scores and measures of physical and cognitive function for identifying the …

Comparison Of Constant Load Exercise Intensity For Verification Of Maximal Oxygen Uptake Following A Graded Exercise Test In Older Adults, Ian R. Villanueva, John C. Campbell, Serena M. Medina, Theresa M. Jorgensen, Shannon L. Wilson, Siddhartha S. Angadi, Glenn A. Gaesser, Jared M. Dickinson

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of Education and Professional Studies

Maximal oxygen uptake (VO₂max) declines with advancing age and is a predictor of morbidity and mortality risk. The purpose here was to assess the utility of constant load tests performed either above or below peak work rate obtained from a graded exercise test for verification of VO₂max in older adults. Twenty-two healthy older adults (9M, 13F, 67 ± 6 years, BMI: 26.3 ± 5.1 kg·m⁻²) participated in the study. Participants were asked to complete two experimental trials in a randomized, counterbalanced cross-over design. Both trials (cycle ergometer) consisted of (1) an identical graded exercise …

The Impact Of Blood Pressure Dipping Status On Cognition, Mobility And Cardiovascular Health In Older Adults Following An Exercise Program, Narlon Cassio Boa Sorte Silva, Michael A. Greagory, Dawn P. Gill, Cheri L. Mcgowan, Robert Petrella

Lifestyle Research Team

Objectives: To determine whether a dual-task gait and aerobic exercise intervention differentially impacted older adults with normal blood pressure (BP) dipping status (dippers) compared to those with nondipping status (nondippers).

Methods: This study was a secondary analysis involving participants (mean age = 70.3 years, 61% women) who attended a laboratory-based exercise intervention over a 6-month period (40 min/day and 3 days/week). Participants were assessed in measures of cognition, mobility, and cardiovascular health at baseline, 3, 6, and 12 months (after a 6-month no-contact follow-up).

Results: We observed improvements in cognition in both groups at 6 and 12 months, although no …

Resistance Training-Induced Gains In Muscle Strength, Body Composition, And Functional Capacity Are Attenuated In Elderly Women With Sarcopenic Obesity, Alessandro De Oliveira Silva, Maurílio Tiradentes Dutra, Wilson Max Almeida Monteiro De Moraes, Silvana Schwerz Funghetto, Darlan Lopes De Farias, Paulo Henrique Fernandes Dos Santos, Denis Cesar Leite Vieira, Dahan Da Cunha Nascimento, Vânia Silva Macedo Orsano, Brad J. Schoenfeld, Jonato Prestes

Publications and Research

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of resistance training (RT) on body composition, muscle strength, and functional capacity in elderly women with and without sarcopenic obesity (SO).

Methods: A total of 49 women (aged $60 years) were divided in two groups: without SO (non-SO, n=41) and with SO (n=8). Both groups performed a periodized RT program consisting of two weekly sessions for 16 weeks. All measures were assessed at baseline and postintervention, including anthropometry and body composition (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry), muscle strength (one repetition maximum) for chest press and 45° leg press, and functional capacity …

The Phenomenology Of Masters Alpine Ski Racers: Experiencing Ski Racing In Old Age, Carly Litchfield

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This thesis is a study of the lived experience of ten older adult alpine ski racers in their continued participation in ski racing. The aim of this study was to gain an understanding of the experiences of these older adults as they continued to compete in ski racing. Masters skiers between the ages of 69 and 82 participated in individual interviews lasting between 30 and 60 minutes. Data analysis was completed using van Manen’s phenomenological methods and the visual technique of mind mapping. The major theme that emerged was the importance of being a ski racer to participants’ identities. The …

Sex Differences In Elite Swimming With Advanced Age Are Less Than Marathon Running, Jonathon Senefeld, Michael J. Joyner, A. Stevens, Sandra K. Hunter

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

The sex difference in marathon performance increases with finishing place and age of the runner but whether this occurs among swimmers is unknown. The purpose was to compare sex differences in swimming velocity across world record place (1st–10th), age group (25–89 years), and event distance. We also compared sex differences between freestyle swimming and marathon running. The world's top 10 swimming times of both sexes for World Championship freestyle stroke, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly events and the world's top 10 marathon times in 5-year age groups were obtained. Men were faster than women for freestyle (12.4 ± 4.2%), backstroke (12.8 …

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

Bonnie A Schlinder-Delap Mrs.

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 to failure …

Validity Of Boston Marathon Qualifying Times, Paul M. Vanderburgh

Paul M. Vanderburgh

Purpose: To assess the validity of Boston Marathon qualifying (BMQ) standards for men and women. Methods: Percent differences between BMQ and current world records (WR) by sex and age group were computed. WR was chosen as the criterion comparison because it is not confounded by intensity, body composition, lifestyle, or environmental factors. A consistent difference across age groups would indicate an appropriate slope of the age-vs-BMQ curve. Inconsistent differences were corrected by adjusting BMQ standards to achieve a uniform percentage difference from WR. Results: BMQ standards for men were consistently ~50% slower than WR (mean 51.5% ± 1.4%, range 49.6–54.4%), …

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, …

Sex Differences And Mechanisms Of Task-Specific Muscle Fatigue, Sandra K. Hunter

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

Women can be less fatigable than men due to sex-related differences within the neuromuscular system that impact physiological adjustments during a fatiguing task. The involved mechanism(s) for the sex difference, however, is task specific. This review explores the novel hypothesis that variation of the task will alter the magnitude of the sex-difference in muscle fatigue and the contribution of involved mechanisms.