Association between muscle mass and isometric muscle strength in well-functioning older men and women.
This cross-sectional study examined the relationship between arm and leg muscle mass and isometric muscle strength in 465 well-functioning women and 439 well-functioning men from the NuAge cohort, age 67-84 years. Leg and arm muscle mass and body fat were measured by dual-X-ray absorptiometry. Maximum voluntary isometric strength of knee extensors and elbow flexors was measured using the belt-resisted method and a handheld dynamometer, respectively. The regression model including leg muscle mass, physical activity level, age, height, and body fat explained 14% of the variance in quadriceps strength in men and 11% in women (p < .001), whereas the model including arm muscle mass and the same covariates elucidated 40% and 28%, respectively, of the variance in biceps strength (p < .001). These results suggest that muscle mass does not play a crucial role in the variations of isometric muscle strength in well-functioning elderly.
Beliaeff
Serge
S
University Institute of Geriatrics, Universityof Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada.
Bouchard
Danielle R
DR
Hautier
Christophe
C
Brochu
Martin
M
Dionne
Isabelle J
IJ
D000273:Adipose Tissue; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001132:Arm / Q000502:physiology; D001823:Body Composition; D017079:Exercise Tolerance; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007537:Isometric Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D007866:Leg / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D012044:Regression Analysis