title: Sprint Acceleration Mechanics in Masters Athletes.
abstract: The best sprint performances are usually reached between the ages of 20 and 30 yr; however, even in well-trained individuals, performance continues to decrease with age. Although this inevitable decrease in performance has been related to reductions in muscular force, velocity, and power capabilities, these measures have not been assessed in the specific context of sprinting. The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanical outputs of sprinting acceleration among masters sprinters to better understand the mechanical underpinnings of the age-related decrease in sprint performance.
  
  
  
  The study took place during an international masters competition, with testing performed at the end of the warm-up for official sprint races. Horizontal ground reaction force, velocity, mechanical power outputs, and mechanical effectiveness of force application were estimated from running velocity-time data during a 30-m sprint acceleration in 27 male sprinters (39-96 yr). Data were presented in the form of age-related changes and compared with elite young sprinters data.
  
  
  
  Maximal force, velocity, and power outputs decreased linearly with age (all r > 0.84, P < 0.001), at a rate of ~1% per year. Maximal power of the oldest subject tested was approximately one-ninth of that of younger world-class sprinters (3.57 vs 32.1 W·kg). Although the maximal effectiveness of horizontal force application also decreased with age, its decrease with increasing velocity within the sprint acceleration was not age dependent.
  
  
  
  In addition to lower neuromuscular force, velocity, and power outputs, masters sprinters had a comparatively lower effectiveness of force application, especially at the beginning of the sprint.
authors.affiliation: 1Exercise Research Laboratory, School of Physical Education, Physical Therapy and Dance, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, BRAZIL; 2Faculty of Sport Sciences, University Pablo de Olavide, Sevilla, SPAIN; and 3Laboratory of Human Motricity, Education Sport and Health, University of Nice Sophia Antipolis, Nice, FRANCE.
authors.forename: Patricia D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Pantoja
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Saez DE Villarreal
authors.forename: Jeanick
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brisswalter
authors.forename: Leonardo A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Peyré-Tartaruga
authors.forename: Jean-Benoit
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Morin
mesh_terms: D000054:Acceleration; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology*