Age-Associated Loss of Power and Strength in the Upper Extremities in Women and Men

Abstract

Cross-sectional and longitudinal age-associated reductions in power and isometric strength are described for the upper extremities. Over a 25-year period, repeated measures were taken approximately every 2 years from men and women in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA). The longitudinal measures covered an average 9.6 years, range 1-25 years for men and an average 4.6 years, range 1-8 years for women. Strength and power declined beginning by age 40 in both women and men. Thereafter, power declined about 10% more than strength in men, while no significant differences were found in women. Age had a statistically independent influence on strength and power measures after adjusting for gender, height, weight, caloric expenditure, and muscle mass. Twenty-five-year longitudinal analyses in men confirmed the declines observed cross-sectionally, while no changes were observed in women over the 4-5 years of longitudinal data available. Further longitudinal studies are needed to understand the relationships between strength and power losses with age in women. The differences between power and strength changes with age in men argue for the importance of factors other than strength affecting power.

Relationship between the occiput-wall distance and physical performance in the elderly: a cross sectional study

“…Greater muscle mass, testosterone and GH levels and the lesser propensity to dysregulation of the hypothalamicadrenal axis and cortisol secretion may protect males from physical decline (15)(16)(17)(18)(19). A distinctive age-related change in the immune system probably makes men more vulnerable to infections and less prone to chronic conditions which are ultimately responsible for muscle loss (20,21).…”

Myeloid cell‐derived tumor necrosis factor‐alpha promotes sarcopenia and regulates muscle cell fusion with aging muscle fibers

“…Aging skeletal muscle undergoes a gradual decline in mass, termed “sarcopenia.” In humans, sarcopenia causes a 30%–50% reduction in muscle mass from the fourth to the eighth decade of life and muscle functional capacity declines at the rate of up to a 3% annually after age 60 (Evans & Lexell, 1995; Melton et al, 2000; Metter, Conwit, Tobin, & Fozard, 1997). Sarcopenia is also associated with decreased muscle regenerative capacity that can further exacerbate loss of function.…”

Predicting hand function in older adults: evaluations of grip strength, arm curl strength, and manual dexterity

“…Extrinsic muscles directly contribute to the gross motor motion of the upper extremity and gripping force, while intrinsic muscles regulate fine motor coordination of the digits [10]. As with the lower extremity, aging affects muscle strength of the upper extremity [11], with the decline rate of strength being more pronounced in intrinsic muscles than in extrinsic muscles [12,13].…”