title: Age- and sex-related differences for electromyography gaps during daily activity and a discrete task.
abstract: Temporal patterns of quiescent electromyography termed 'gaps' were investigated in young and old men and women for a discrete task and daily activity. Gaps in women (1.3±3.2) and old adults (1.5±3.4) were fewer compared with men (4.7±6.7) and young adults (4.6±6.9) for the discrete task (p<0.001). Gap duration was shorter for women (0.1±0.2s) and old adults (0.1±0.3s) compared with men (0.2±0.3s) and young adults (0.2±0.2s) (p<0.01). For daily activity, gap number was similar with age, but gap duration and percentage of total time occupied by gaps were less in old compared with young adults (50%), and in women compared with men (43%) (p<0.001). Results suggest gap activity is sensitive to type and duration of activity and that old adults and women demonstrate less quiescent electromyography than young adults and men.
authors.affiliation: School of Kinesiology, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Harwood
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Jakobi
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001132:Arm / Q000502:physiology*; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D014891:Weight Lifting