Effect of resistance training on skeletal muscle-specific force in elderly humans.
This study assessed muscle-specific force in vivo following strength training in old age. Subjects were assigned to training (n = 9, age 74.3 +/- 3.5 yr; mean +/- SD) and control (n = 9, age 67.1 +/- 2 yr) groups. Leg-extension and leg-press exercises (2 sets of 10 repetitions at 80% of the 5 repetition maximum) were performed three times/wk for 14 wk. Vastus lateralis (VL) muscle fascicle force was calculated from maximal isometric voluntary knee extensor torque with superimposed stimuli, accounting for the patella tendon moment arm length, ultrasound-based measurements of muscle architecture, and antagonist cocontraction estimated from electromyographic activity. Physiological cross-sectional area (PCSA) was calculated from the ratio of muscle volume to fascicle length. Specific force was calculated by dividing fascicle force by PCSA. Fascicle force increased by 11%, from 847.9 +/- 365.3 N before to 939.3 +/- 347.8 N after training (P < 0.05). Due to a relatively greater increase in fascicle length (11%) than muscle volume (6%), PCSA remained unchanged (pretraining: 30.4 +/- 8.9 cm(2); posttraining: 29.1 +/- 8.4 cm(2); P > 0.05). Activation capacity and VL muscle root mean square electromyographic activity increased by 5 and 40%, respectively, after training (P < 0.05), indicating increased agonist neural drive, whereas antagonist cocontraction remained unchanged (P > 0.05). The VL muscle-specific force increased by 19%, from 27 +/- 6.3 N/cm(2) before to 32.1 +/- 7.4 N/cm(2) after training (P < 0.01), highlighting the effectiveness of strength training for increasing the intrinsic force-producing capacity of skeletal muscle in old age.
Institute for Biophysical and Clinical Research into Human Movement, Manchester Metropolitan University, MMU Cheshire, Alsager, Cheshire, UK. N.Reeves@mmu.ac.uk
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ND
Reeves
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MV
Narici
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Maganaris
D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D005082:Physical Exertion / Q000502:physiology*; D019415:Torque