Effect of aging on fatigue characteristics of elbow flexor muscles during sustained submaximal contraction

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare fatigue-related measures of central and peripheral mechanisms between young and elderly subjects for a task performed with elbow flexor muscles. Ten young and nine elderly subjects performed a sustained submaximal fatigue task at 35% of their maximum voluntary contraction torque. Measures of neuromuscular function, reflecting changes in neuromuscular propagation, voluntary activation, excitation-contraction-relaxation processes, and metabolite buildup, were taken before, during, and after the fatigue task. The main results were the absence of neuromuscular propagation failure in either young or elderly subjects, the presence of central fatigue at the end of the fatigue task in 7 of 9 elderly but only 3 of 10 young subjects, and lesser changes in twitch torque contraction-relaxation variables and electromyographic median frequency in elderly compared with young subjects. The lesser fatigue-related changes in twitch contraction speed and median frequency in elderly compared with young subjects could reflect the increase in type I-to-type II fiber area reported with old age. The presence of significant central fatigue can apparently minimize some of the potential differences present in peripheral fatigue sites.

Skeletal muscle fatigue, strength, and quality in the elderly: the Health ABC Study

“…Specific torque was calculated as the peak torque during knee extension divided by quadriceps muscle area. (8,9,12,19,28,30,44), but this has not been a consistent observation (5,15,16,26,32,33,36,40,55). Many factors may account for age-and gender-associated differences in muscle quality and fatigue, including changes within specific muscle fiber types (34), pennation angle of the muscle (1), patterns of motor recruitment (2), and greater amount of connective tissue within the muscle in the elderly (50).…”

“…Several studies have reported that women are more fatigue resistant than men (8,21,28,29,36,40,42,46,53,61), although this has not been a consistent observation (5,9,18,30,32,46). Moreover, some studies have reported that muscle of young adults is more fatigue resistant than older adults (15,16,36).…”

“…Moreover, some studies have reported that muscle of young adults is more fatigue resistant than older adults (15,16,36). Yet others have reported greater fatigue resistance in older adults (8,9,12,15,19,28,30,36,44). These inconsistencies may be due to the rather variable methodologies implemented to quantify fatigue as well as different muscle groups tested (e.g., elbow flexors, knee extensors, adductor pollicis, ankle dorsiflexors), the mode of exercise utilized (e.g., isometric, isokinetic, dynamic, electrically induced fatigue), the particular study populations and the relatively small number of subjects studied.…”

Age‐related muscle fatigue after a low‐force fatiguing contraction is explained by central fatigue

“…2,4,34 Several muscle groups, however, exhibit age-related central fatigue including the knee extensor muscles and sustained contractions with the elbow flexor muscles. 5,6,22,46 The magnitude of age-related central fatigue appears to be influenced by the type of contraction during which voluntary activation is assessed. For example, Bilodeau et al 6 found that force was evoked in the elbow flexor muscles of old adults with an electrical stimulus at the end of a moderateintensity (35% MVC) isometric contraction sustained until failure, but not in young adults.…”

Effects of Foot Type and Ankle Joint Fatigue Levels on the Trajectories of COP and COM during a Single-Leg Stance

“…이러한 말초 피로 혹은 중추피로는 발목관절의 외측 염좌 발생을 일으 키는 중요한 원인 중 하나이며 (Gutierrez, Jackson, Dorr, Margiotta, & Kaminski, 2007), 자세 안정성을 위해 요구 되어지는 근육과 고유수용기의 역학적 특성과 관련된 능 력을 감소시킨다 (Bilodeau, Henderson, Nolta, Pursley, & Sandfort, 2001;Forestier, Teasdale, & Nougier, 2002;Hiemstra, Lo, & Fowler, 2001). 그 결과, 운동 협응과 자세제어에 영향을 미쳐 상해 발생률을 높이는 것으로 보 고되었다 (Chabran, Maton, & Fourment, 2002;Price, Hawkins, Hulse, & Hodson, 2004).…”