Influence of maturation and aging on mechanical and biochemical properties of connective tissue in rats

Hg, Vogel

doi:10.1016/0047-6374(80)90002-0

Cited by 98 publications

(64 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…Furthermore, the preponderance of age-related changes in tendons (e.g. increased elastin content and reduced collagen fibril crimp angle) results in increasing compliance and decreasing strength (Nakagawa et al, 1994;Narici et al, 2008;Vogel, 1980). In addition to impacting CoM mechanics, these changes in tissue properties decrease the capacity for energy recovery during either vaulting or bouncing mechanics, as has been demonstrated in older humans (Cavagna et al, 2008).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Effects of early-stage aging on locomotor dynamics and hindlimb muscle force production in the rat

Hörner

Russ

Biknevicius

2011

Journal of Experimental Biology

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SUMMARYAttenuation of locomotor function is common in many species of animals as they age. Dysfunctions may emerge from a constellation of age-related impairments, including increased joint stiffness, reduced ability to repair muscle tissue, and decreasing fine motor control capabilities. Any or all of these factors may contribute to gait abnormalities and substantially limit an animal's speed and mobility. In this study we examined the effects of aging on whole-animal locomotor performance and hindlimb muscle mechanics in young adult rats aged 6-8months and 'early aged' 24-month-old rats (Rattus norvegicus, Fischer 344 ϫ Brown Norway crosses). Analyses of gaits and kinematics demonstrated that aged rats moved significantly more slowly, sustained longer hindlimb support durations, moved with a greater proportion of asymmetrical gaits, were more plantigrade, and moved with a more kyphotic spinal posture than the young rats. Additionally, the external mechanical energy profiles of the aged animals were variable across trials, whereas the younger rats moved predominantly with bouncing mechanics. In situ analyses of the ankle extensor/plantar flexor muscle group (soleus, plantaris, and medial and lateral gastrocnemii) revealed reduced maximum force generation with aging, despite minimal changes in muscle mass. The weakened muscles were implicated in the degradation of hindfoot posture, as well as variability in center-of-mass mechanics. These results demonstrate that the early stages of aging have consequences for whole-body performance, even before age-related loss of muscle mass begins.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Effects of early-stage aging on locomotor dynamics and hindlimb muscle force production in the rat

Hörner

Russ

Biknevicius

2011

Journal of Experimental Biology

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“…Mechanical changes in collagenous tissues in response to aging have been reported in vivo Kubo et al, 2003c) and in vitro (Noyes and Grood, 1976;Vogel, 1980;Blevins et al, 1994;Komatsu et al, 2004). The fact that only the TS muscle strength and not the stiffness of the tendon and aponeurosis is affected by aging might indicate that the time courses of tendinous and muscular properties are different (Karpakka et al, 1990;Kubo et al, 2004).…”

Section: Lower Extremity Muscle-tendon Unit Propertiesmentioning

confidence: 97%

Mechanical and morphological properties of different muscle–tendon units in the lower extremity and running mechanics: effect of aging and physical activity

Karamanidis

Arampatzis

2005

Journal of Experimental Biology

134

104

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SUMMARY The objectives of this work were (i) to investigate whether chronic endurance running is a sufficient stimulus to counteract the age-related changes in the mechanical and morphological properties of human triceps surae(TS) and quadriceps femoris (QF) muscle–tendon units (MTUs) by comparing runners and non-active subjects at different ages (young and old), (ii) to identify adaptational phenomena in running mechanics due to age-related changes in the mechanical and morphological properties of the TS and QF MTUs,and finally (iii) to examine whether chronic endurance-running exercise is associated with adaptational effects on running characteristics in old and young adults. The investigation was conducted on 30 old and 19 young adult males divided into two subgroups according to their running activity: endurance-runners vs non-active. To analyse the properties of the MTUs, all subjects performed isometric maximal voluntary (MVC) ankle plantarflexion and knee extension contractions at 11 different MTU lengths on a dynamometer. The activation of the TS and QF during MVC was estimated by surface electromyography. The gastrocnemius medialis and the vastus lateralis and their distal aponeuroses were visualized by ultrasonography at rest and during MVC, respectively. Ground reaction forces and kinematic data were recorded during running trials at 2.7 m s–1. The TS and QF MTU capacities were reduced with aging (lower muscle strength and lower tendon stiffness). Runners and non-active subjects had similar MTU properties, suggesting that chronic endurance-running exercise does not counteract the age-related degeneration of the MTUs. Runners showed a higher mechanical advantage for the QF MTU while running (lower gear ratio) compared to non-active subjects, indicating a task-specific adaptation even at old age. Older adults reacted to the reduced capacities of their MTUs by increasing running safety (higher duty factor, lower flight time) and benefitting from a mechanical advantage for the TS MTU, lower rate of force generation and force generation per meter distance. We suggest that the improvement in running mechanics in the older adults happens due to a perceptual motor recalibration and a feed-forward adaptation of the motor task aimed at decreasing the disparity between the reduced capacity of the MTUs and the running effort.

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“…One study suggests that aging produces stiffer and stronger tendons [50], but other investigations led to the opposite conclusion [44,54] or showed no effect of aging on most of the mechanical properties of the tendon [16]. In animals, tenocyte metabolism changes with increasing age [13], and these changes are accompanied by morphologic changes [6].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Favorable Outcome of Percutaneous Repair of Achilles Tendon Ruptures in the Elderly

Maffulli

Longo

Ronga

et al. 2010

Clinical Orthopaedics &Amp; Related Research

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Percutaneous repair of Achilles tendon (AT) ruptures reportedly reduces the risk of rerupture compared to nonoperative treatment and reduces the risk of wound infection compared to open surgery. We retrospectively reviewed the postoperative Achilles tendon total rupture score (ATRS), and the maximum calf circumference in 35 patients over 65 years of age who sustained an acute tear of the AT and underwent percutaneous repair of the AT. There were 26 men and nine women with a mean age at operation of 73.4 ± 8.7 years (range, 65-86 years). Of the 35 recruited patients, we report on 27 patients for whom we have a full data set. The minimum followup was 49 months (mean, 88 months; range, 49-110 months). The ATRS had a postoperative average rating of 69.4 ± 14 (range, 56-93). All patients were able to bear weight fully on the affected limb by the eighth postoperative week. The data suggest that percutaneous repair of the AT is a suitable option for patients older than 65, producing similar outcomes when compared to percutaneous repair in younger patients of previous reports.

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Influence of maturation and aging on mechanical and biochemical properties of connective tissue in rats

Cited by 98 publications

References 19 publications

Effects of early-stage aging on locomotor dynamics and hindlimb muscle force production in the rat

Effects of early-stage aging on locomotor dynamics and hindlimb muscle force production in the rat

Mechanical and morphological properties of different muscle–tendon units in the lower extremity and running mechanics: effect of aging and physical activity

Favorable Outcome of Percutaneous Repair of Achilles Tendon Ruptures in the Elderly

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