Effect of exercise intervention on thigh muscle volume and anatomical cross-sectional areas-Quantitative assessment using MRI

Abstract Context As many sports are divided in male/female categories, governing bodies have formed regulations on the eligibility for transgender individuals to compete in these categories. Yet, the magnitude of change in muscle mass and strength with gender-affirming treatment remains insufficiently explored. Objective This study explored the effects of gender-affirming treatment on muscle function, size, and composition during 12 months of therapy. Design, settings, participants In this single-center observational cohort study, untrained transgender women (TW, n = 11) and transgender men (TM, n = 12), approved to start gender-affirming medical interventions, underwent assessments at baseline, 4 weeks after gonadal suppression of endogenous hormones but before hormone replacement, and 4 and 12 months after treatment initiation. Main outcome measures Knee extensor and flexor strength were assessed at all examination time points, and muscle size and radiological density (using magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography) at baseline and 12 months after treatment initiation. Results Thigh muscle volume increased (15%) in TM, which was paralleled by increased quadriceps cross-sectional area (CSA) (15%) and radiological density (6%). In TW, the corresponding parameters decreased by –5% (muscle volume) and –4% (CSA), while density remained unaltered. The TM increased strength over the assessment period, while the TW generally maintained their strength levels. Conclusions One year of gender-affirming treatment resulted in robust increases in muscle mass and strength in TM, but modest changes in TW. These findings add new knowledge on the magnitude of changes in muscle function, size, and composition with cross-hormone therapy, which could be relevant when evaluating the transgender eligibility rules for athletic competitions.

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Estimating thigh skeletal muscle volume using multi-frequency segmental-bioelectrical impedance analysis

Journal of PHYSIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY ◽

10.1186/s40101-021-00263-z ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 40 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Masashi Taniguchi ◽

Yosuke Yamada ◽

Masahide Yagi ◽

Ryusuke Nakai ◽

Hiroshige Tateuchi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Skeletal Muscle ◽

Phase Angle ◽

Model Fitting ◽

Muscle Thickness ◽

Bioelectrical Impedance ◽

Impedance Analysis ◽

Muscle Volume ◽

Thigh Muscle ◽

Slice Thickness ◽

Cross Sectional

Abstract Background The primary aim of this study was to investigate whether using the extracellular water/intracellular water (ECW/ICW) index and phase angle combined with segmental-bioimpedance analysis (BIA) improved the model fitting of skeletal muscle volume (SMV) estimation. The secondary aim was to compare the accuracy of segmental-BIA with that of ultrasound for estimating the quadriceps SMV measured with MRI. Methods Seventeen young men (mean age, 23.8 ± 3.3 years) participated in the study. The T-1 weighted images of thigh muscles were obtained using a 1.5 T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner. Thigh and quadriceps SMVs were calculated as the sum of the products of anatomical cross-sectional area and slice thickness of 6 mm across all slices. Segmental-BIA was applied to the thigh region, and data on the 50-kHz bioelectrical impedance (BI) index, ICW index, ECW/ICW index, and phase angle were obtained. The muscle thickness index was calculated as the product of the mid-thigh muscle thickness, determined using ultrasound, and thigh length. The standard error of estimate (SEE) of the regression equation was calculated to determine the model fitting of SMV estimation and converted to %SEE by dividing the SEE values by the mean SMV. Results Multiple regression analysis indicated that the combination of 50-kHz BI and the ECW/ICW index or phase angle was a significant predictor when estimating thigh SMV (SEE = 7.9 and 8.1%, respectively), but were lower than the simple linear regression (SEE = 9.4%). The ICW index alone improved the model fitting for the estimation equation (SEE = 7.6%). The model fitting of the quadriceps SMV with the 50-kHz BI or ICW index was similar to that with the skeletal muscle thickness index measured using ultrasound (SEE = 10.8, 9.6 and 9.7%, respectively). Conclusions Combining the traditionally used 50-kHz BI index with the ECW/ICW index and phase angle can improve the model fitting of estimated SMV measured with MRI. We also showed that the model suitability of SMV estimation using segmental-BIA was equivalent to that on using ultrasound. These data indicate that segmental-BIA may be a useful and cost-effective alternative to the gold standard MRI for estimating SMV.

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Training, muscle volume, and energy expenditure in nonobese American girls

Journal of Applied Physiology ◽

10.1152/jappl.2001.90.1.35 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 90 (1) ◽

pp. 35-44 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

Alon Eliakim ◽

Tim Scheett ◽

Nicki Allmendinger ◽

Jo Anne Brasel ◽

Dan M. Cooper

Keyword(s):

Energy Expenditure ◽

Body Mass ◽

Summer School ◽

Muscle Volume ◽

Thigh Muscle ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Brief Training ◽

Allometric Analysis ◽

Sectional Analysis ◽

Prepubertal Girls

Little is known about the relationship among training, energy expenditure, muscle volume, and fitness in prepubertal girls. Because physical activity is high in prepubertal children, we hypothesized that there would be no effect of training. Forty pre- and early pubertal (mean age 9.1 ± 0.1 yr) nonobese girls enrolled in a 5 day/wk summer school program for 5 wk and were randomized to control ( n = 20) or training groups ( n = 20; 1.5 h/day, endurance-type exercise). Total energy expenditure (TEE) was measured using doubly labeled water, thigh muscle volume using magnetic resonance imaging, and peak O2uptake (V˙o 2 peak) using cycle ergometry. TEE was significantly greater (17%, P < 0.02) in the training girls. Training increased thigh muscle volume (+4.3 ± 0.9%, P < 0.005) andV˙o 2 peak (+9.5 ± 6%, P < 0.05), effects surprisingly similar to those observed in adolescent girls using the same protocol (Eliakim A, Barstow TJ, Brasel JA, Ajie H, Lee W-NP, Renslo R, Berman N, and Cooper DM, J Pediatr 129: 537–543, 1996). We further compared these two sample populations: thigh muscle volume per weight was much lower in adolescent compared with prepubertal girls (17.0 ± 0.3 vs. 27.8 ± 0.6 ml/kg body mass; P < 0.001), and allometric analysis revealed remarkably low scaling factors relating muscle volume (0.34 ± 0.05, P < 0.0001), TEE (0.24 ± 0.06, P < 0.0004), andV˙o 2 peak (0.28 ± 0.07, P < 0.0001) to body mass in all subjects. Muscle and cardiorespiratory functions were quite responsive to brief training in prepubertal girls. Moreover, a retrospective, cross-sectional analysis suggests that increases in muscle mass andV˙o 2 peak may be depressed in nonobese American girls as they mature.

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Muscle strength, size and composition following 12 months of gender-affirming treatment in transgender individuals: retained advantage for the transwomen

10.1101/782557 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

A Wiik ◽

TR Lundberg ◽

E Rullman ◽

DP Andersson ◽

M Holmberg ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Muscle Strength ◽

Muscle Mass ◽

Sex Hormones ◽

Hormone Replacement ◽

Knee Extensor ◽

Hormone Treatment ◽

Muscle Volume ◽

Thigh Muscle ◽

Flexor Muscle ◽

Cross Sectional

AbstractObjectivesThis study explored the effects of gender-affirming treatment, which includes inhibition of endogenous sex hormones and replacement with cross-sex hormones, on muscle function, size and composition in 11 transwomen (TW) and 12 transmen (TM).MethodsIsokinetic knee extensor and flexor muscle strength was assessed at baseline (T00), 4 weeks after gonadal suppression of endogenous hormones but before hormone replacement (T0), and 3 (T3) and 11 (T12) months after hormone replacement. In addition, at T00 and T12, we assessed lower-limb muscle volume using MRI, and cross-sectional area (CSA) and radiological density using CT.ResultsThigh muscle volume increased (15%) in TM, which was paralleled by increased quadriceps CSA (15%) and radiological density (6%). In TW, the corresponding parameters decreased by −5% (muscle volume) and −4% (CSA), while density remained unaltered. The TM increased strength over the assessment period, while the TW generally maintained or slightly increased in strength. Baseline muscle volume correlated highly with strength (R>0.75), yet the relative change in muscle volume and strength correlated only moderately (R=0.65 in TW and R=0.32 in TM). The absolute levels of muscle volume and knee extension strength after the intervention still favored the TW.ConclusionCross-sex hormone treatment markedly affects muscle strength, size and composition in transgender individuals. Despite the robust increases in muscle mass and strength in TM, the TW were still stronger and had more muscle mass following 12 months of treatment. These findings add new knowledge that could be relevant when evaluating transwomen’s eligibility to compete in the women’s category of athletic competitions.

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Exercise Snacking to Improve Muscle Function in Healthy Older Adults: A Pilot Study

Journal of Aging Research ◽

10.1155/2019/7516939 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 2019 ◽

pp. 1-9 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Oliver J. Perkin ◽

Polly M. McGuigan ◽

Keith A. Stokes

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Pilot Study ◽

Body Mass ◽

Muscle Function ◽

Exercise Intervention ◽

Muscle Size ◽

Thigh Muscle ◽

Activity Levels ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Healthy Older Adults

Loss of muscle mass and strength are seemingly accepted as part of the ageing process, despite ultimately leading to the loss of independence. Resistance exercise is considered to be primary defence against loss of muscle function in older age, but it typically requires access to exercise equipment often in a gym environment. This pilot study aimed at examining the effect of a 28-day, unsupervised home-based exercise intervention on indices of leg strength and muscle size in healthy older adults. Twenty participants were randomly assigned to either maintain their habitual physical activity levels (Control; n=10; age, 74 (5) years; body mass, 26.3 (3.5) kg/m2) or undertake “exercise snacks” twice daily (ES; n=10; age, 70 (4) years; body mass, 25.0 (3.4) kg/m2). Both groups consumed 150 g of yogurt at their breakfast meal for the duration of the intervention. Sixty-second sit-to-stand score improved by 31% in ES, with no change in Control (p<0.01). Large effect sizes were observed for the difference in change scores between the groups for interpolated maximum leg pressing power (6% increase in ES) and thigh muscle cross-sectional area (2% increase in ES). The present pilot data suggest that exercise snacking might be a promising strategy to improve leg muscle function and size in older adults and that further investigation into zero-cost exercise strategies that allow high frequency of training is warranted.

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Jump performance and thigh muscle cross-sectional area in young female rhythmic gymnasts

Gazzetta Medica Italiana Archivio per le Scienze Mediche ◽

10.23736/s0393-3660.18.03698-7 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 178 (3) ◽

Author(s):

Antonio Cicchella ◽

Monica Mannai ◽

Jaan Ereline ◽

Mati Paasuke ◽

Helena Gapeyeva

Keyword(s):

Young Female ◽

Cross Sectional Area ◽

Thigh Muscle ◽

Sectional Area ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Jump Performance ◽

Muscle Cross Sectional Area ◽

Rhythmic Gymnasts

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Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy: longitudinal analysis of predictors for postural control

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-81902-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Jana Müller ◽

Charlotte Kreutz ◽

Steffen Ringhof ◽

Maximilian Koeppel ◽

Nikolaus Kleindienst ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Peripheral Neuropathy ◽

Peripheral Nerve ◽

Postural Control ◽

Action Potentials ◽

Exercise Intervention ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Nerve Function ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Peripheral Nerve Function

AbstractImpaired postural control is often observed in response to neurotoxic chemotherapy. However, potential explanatory factors other than chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) have not been adequately considered to date due to primarily cross-sectional study designs. Our objective was to comprehensively analyze postural control during and after neurotoxic chemotherapy, and to identify potential CIPN-independent predictors for its impairment. Postural control and CIPN symptoms (EORTC QLQ-CIPN20) were longitudinally assessed before, during and three weeks after neurotoxic chemotherapy, and in three and six months follow-up examinations (N = 54). The influence of peripheral nerve function as determined by nerve conduction studies (NCS: compound motor action potentials (CMAP) and sensory action potentials (SNAP)), physical activity, and muscle strength on the change in postural control during and after chemotherapy was analyzed by multiple linear regression adjusted for age and body mass index. Postural control, CIPN signs/symptoms, and CMAP/SNAP amplitudes significantly deteriorated during chemotherapy (p < .01). During follow-up, patients recovered from postural instabilities (p < .01), whereas CIPN signs/symptoms and pathologic NCS findings persisted compared to baseline (p < .001). The regression model showed that low CMAP and high SNAP amplitudes at baseline predicted impairment of postural control during but not after chemotherapy. Hence, pre-therapeutically disturbed somatosensory inputs may induce adaptive processes that have compensatory effects and allow recovery of postural control while CIPN signs/symptoms and pathologic peripheral nerve function persist. Baseline NCS findings in cancer patients who receive neurotoxic chemotherapy thus might assist in delineating individual CIPN risk profiles more precisely to which specific exercise intervention programs could be tailor-made.

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Monitoring, implementation and reporting of interventions in a selection of trials assessing exercise therapy for the management of shoulder subacromial pain: a cross-sectional investigation

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-044462 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. e044462

Author(s):

Daniel C Ribeiro ◽

Kate Spiers ◽

Laura Thomas ◽

Kiriffi Leilua ◽

Matthew Wilkes ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Manual Therapy ◽

Exercise Intervention ◽

Cochrane Review ◽

Health Behavior Change ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Treatment Delivery ◽

Lack Of Information ◽

Intervention Trials ◽

Intervention Description ◽

Selection Of

ObjectivesTo review the reporting of monitoring and implementation of interventions in a selection of trials that assessed the effectiveness of manual therapy and exercise in the management of shoulder subacromial pain.DesignA review of trials assessing the effectiveness of manual therapy and exercise in the management of patients with shoulder subacromial pain.MethodsWe included in our review a selection of 10 trials that were included in a Cochrane review and compared manual therapy and exercise intervention with another intervention. Trials were assessed independently by two reviewers using two checklists: the Template for Intervention Description and Replication (TIDieR) and the Health Behavior Change Consortium treatment fidelity (National Institutes of Health Behaviour Change Consortium/NIHBCC).ResultsTIDieR overall scores for individual trials ranged from 11.1% to 45% and fidelity scores ranged from 7% to 50%. On average, trials scored the following within each domain of NIHBCC: study design 51%; training of providers 8%; treatment delivery 15%; treatment receipt 14% and treatment enactment 2.5%.ConclusionsLittle information about the monitoring, implementation and reporting of interventions was provided by trials and that is a barrier for implementing or replicating these interventions. The lack of information regarding the implementation of interventions needs to be taken into account when assessing whether effectiveness of interventions was impacted by their design or due to deviations from the protocol within trials.

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Regular Vigorous-Intensity Physical Activity and Walking Are Associated with Divergent but Not Convergent Thinking in Japanese Young Adults

Brain Sciences ◽

10.3390/brainsci11081046 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (8) ◽

pp. 1046

Author(s):

Chong Chen ◽

Yasuhiro Mochizuki ◽

Kosuke Hagiwara ◽

Masako Hirotsu ◽

Shin Nakagawa

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Young Adults ◽

Aerobic Exercise ◽

Creative Thinking ◽

Divergent Thinking ◽

Exercise Intervention ◽

Convergent Thinking ◽

Intervention Effects ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Vigorous Intensity

The beneficial effects of regular physical activity (PA) on cognitive functions have received much attention. Recent research suggests that regular PA may also enhance creative thinking, an indispensable cognitive factor for invention and innovation. However, at what intensity regular PA brings the most benefits to creative thinking remains uninvestigated. Furthermore, whether the levels of regular PA affect the acute PA effects on creative thinking is also unclear. In the present study, using a previous dataset that investigated the effects of an acute bout of aerobic exercise on creative thinking in healthy Japanese young adults (22.98 ± 1.95 years old) in the year 2020, we tested the association between different intensities of regular PA (i.e., vigorous, moderate, and walking) and creative thinking with the cross-sectional baseline data using multiple linear regression. We also investigated whether regular PA levels were associated with the acute aerobic exercise intervention effects on creative thinking. The results showed that cross-sectionally, the regular PAs were differentially associated with divergent but not convergent thinking. Specifically, whereas the amount of vigorous-intensity PA was positively associated with fluency and flexibility, the amount of walking was positively associated with novelty on the alternate uses test (AUT) measuring divergent thinking. Importantly, the explained variances of fluency, flexibility, and novelty were 20.3% (p = 0.040), 18.8% (p = 0.055), and 20.1% (p = 0.043), respectively. None of the regular PAs predicted convergent thinking (i.e., an insight problem-solving task), nor were they associated with the acute aerobic exercise intervention effects on divergent and convergent thinking. These findings suggest that engaging in regular vigorous-intensity PA and walking may be useful strategies to enhance different aspects of divergent thinking in daily life.

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Muscles adaptation to aging and training: architectural changes – a randomised trial

BMC Geriatrics ◽

10.1186/s12877-020-02000-0 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Adrien J. Létocart ◽

Franck Mabesoone ◽

Fabrice Charleux ◽

Christian Couppé ◽

René B. Svensson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Resistance Training ◽

Young Men ◽

Cross Sectional Area ◽

Muscle Volume ◽

Triceps Surae ◽

Moderate Intensity ◽

Training Volume ◽

Sectional Area ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Repetition Maximum

Abstract Background To investigate how anatomical cross-sectional area and volume of quadriceps and triceps surae muscles were affected by ageing, and by resistance training in older and younger men, in vivo. Methods The old participants were randomly assigned to moderate (O55, n = 13) or high-load (O80, n = 14) resistance training intervention (12 weeks; 3 times/week) corresponding to 55% or 80% of one repetition maximum, respectively. Young men (Y55, n = 11) were assigned to the moderate-intensity strengthening exercise program. Each group received the exact same training volume on triceps surae and quadriceps group (Reps x Sets x Intensity). The fitting polynomial regression equations for each of anatomical cross-sectional area-muscle length curves were used to calculate muscle volume (contractile content) before and after 12 weeks using magnetic resonance imaging scans. Results Only Rectus femoris and medial gastrocnemius muscle showed a higher relative anatomical cross-sectional area in the young than the elderly on the proximal end. The old group displayed a higher absolute volume of non-contractile material than young men in triceps surae (+ 96%). After training, Y55, O55 and O80 showed an increase in total quadriceps (+ 4.3%; + 6.7%; 4.2% respectively) and triceps surae (+ 2.8%; + 7.5%; 4.3% respectively) volume. O55 demonstrated a greater increase on average gains compared to Y55, while no difference between O55 and O80 was observed. Conclusions Muscle loss with aging is region-specific for some muscles and uniform for others. Equivalent strength training volume at moderate or high intensities increased muscle volume with no differences in muscle volume gains for old men. These data suggest that physical exercise at moderate intensity (55 to 60% of one repetition maximum) can reverse the aging related loss of muscle mass. Trial registration NCT03079180 in ClinicalTrials.gov. Registration date: March 14, 2017.

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