Age and sex-related decline of muscle strength across the adult lifespan: a scoping review of aggregated data

2020 ◽  
Vol 45 (11) ◽  
pp. 1185-1196 ◽  
Author(s):  
E.M.K. Haynes ◽  
N.A. Neubauer ◽  
K.M.D. Cornett ◽  
B.P. O’Connor ◽  
G.R. Jones ◽  
...  

Muscle strength is sex-related and declines with advancing age; yet, a comprehensive comparative evaluation of age-related strength loss in human females and males has not been undertaken. To do so, segmented piecewise regression analysis was performed on aggregated data from studies published from 1990 to 2018 and are available in CINAHL, EMBASE, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO databases. The search identified 5613 articles that were reviewed for physical assessment results stratified by sex and age. Maximal isometric and isokinetic 60°·s−1 knee extension (KE) and knee flexion (KF) contractions from 57 studies and 15 283 subjects (N = 7918 females) had sufficient data reported on females and males for meaningful statistical evaluation to be undertaken. The analysis revealed that isometric KE and KF strength undergo similar rapid declines in both sexes late in the sixth decade of life. Yet, there is an abrupt age-related decline in KE 60°·s−1 peak torque earlier in females (aged 41.8 years) than males (aged 66.7 years). In the assessment of KF peak torque, an age-related acceleration in strength loss was only identified in males (aged 49.3 years). The results suggest that age-related isometric strength loss is similar between sexes while the characteristics of KE and KF peak torque decline are sex-related, which likely explains the differential rate of age-related functional decline. Novelty Inclusion of muscle strength and torque of KE and KF data from >15 000 subjects. Isometric KE and KF strength loss are similar between sexes. Isokinetic 60°·s−1 KE torque decline accelerates 25 years earlier in females and female age-related KF peak torque decline does not accelerate with age.

Author(s):  
Yusuke Osawa ◽  
Qu Tian ◽  
Yang An ◽  
Stephanie A Studenski ◽  
Susan M Resnick ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Muscle strength and brain volume decline with aging; changes in the brain manifested as change in volume may play a role in age-related strength loss, but this hypothesis has never been tested longitudinally. We examined longitudinal associations between brain volume changes and knee extension peak torque change in participants of the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. Methods Brain volumes and isokinetic concentric knee extension peak torque at 30 deg/s were measured in 678 participants (55.2% women; baseline age, 50.1–97.2 years; median follow-up time in those who visited two or more times (n = 375, 4.0 [interquartile range {IQR}, 2.3–5.0] years). Correlations between longitudinal changes in brain volumes and knee extension peak torque were examined using bivariate linear mixed-effects models, adjusted for baseline age, sex, race, education, and intracranial volume. Results Greater decline in muscle strength was associated with greater atrophies in global gray matter, temporal lobe, frontal gray matter, temporal gray matter, superior frontal gyrus, inferior frontal gyrus, supramarginal gyrus, middle temporal gyrus, inferior temporal gyrus, and occipital pole (r ranging from .30 to .77, p < .05). After multiple comparison adjustment, only larger decrease in middle temporal gyrus remained significantly related to larger decrease in muscle strength (q = 0.045). Conclusions In older adults, declines in knee extension muscle strength co-occurred with atrophies in frontal, temporal, and occipital gray matter. These findings support the idea that age-related knee extension muscle strength is linked with atrophy in some specific brain regions related to motor control.


2018 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 105-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zuzana Gonosova ◽  
Petr Stastny ◽  
Jan Belka ◽  
Lucia Bizovska ◽  
Michal Lehnert

Abstract Monitoring seasonal variations in strength performance and the relative risk of injury indicators related to strength of hamstring (H) and quadriceps (Q) in female elite athletes is beneficial for the training process. The aim of this study was to examine and compare the level of muscle strength, the conventional ratio (HCONC/QCONC) as well as two functional and strength ratios reflecting the movement of knee extension (HECC/QCONC) and flexion (HCONC/QECC), and the bilateral percentage strength deficit (BSD) in elite female handball players. The concentric and eccentric isokinetic peak torque was measured at an angular velocity of 60°/s on three occasions (in-season cessation, 4 weeks of rest followed by 4 weeks of individual conditioning and 6 weeks of group conditioning) in eleven female handball players (age: 23.1 ± 3.5 years, body height: 1.73 ± 0.6 m). According to ANOVA results, the BSD of H muscles in the concentric mode decreased between the in-season cessation and the end of the pre-season, and HCONC/QCONC increased at the beginning of the pre-season and at the end of the pre-season in comparison with inseason cessation measurement. The effect size analyses showed that the off-season rest followed by 10 weeks of the conditioning programme increased Q and H strength in comparison with the previous season with a large effect. Coaches should include progressive conditioning in the pre-season phase to decrease the bilateral strength deficit and to support further conditioning development.


Author(s):  
Mi-Ji Kim ◽  
Byeong-Hun Kang ◽  
Soo-Hyun Park ◽  
Bokyoung Kim ◽  
Gyeong-Ye Lee ◽  
...  

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the correlation between muscle strength and knee symptoms (pain, stiffness, and functional limitation) regardless of the presence of radiologic knee osteoarthritis (RKOA) in community-dwelling elderly. Patients and methods: This cross-sectional study used data from the Namgaram-2 cohort. The Namgaram-2 cohort consisted of participants living in three rural communities. Such participants were included for studies on activity limitation due to age-related musculoskeletal disorders including knee osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, and sarcopenia. The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), a health assessment tool for patients with arthritis in lower extremities, was used to assess health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Muscle strengths were measured by knee strength (by using the isokinetic dynamometer) and hand grip strength. Results: The WOMAC pain of Kallgren–Lawrence (K/L) grade < 2 was correlated with age, grip strength, nutrition status, and knee extension 180 peak torque. The WOMAC pain of K/L grade ≥ 2 was correlated with age, nutrition status, and knee extension 60 peak torque. The WOMAC stiffness of K/L grade < 2 was correlated with having a spouse, nutrition status, and knee extension 60 peak torque. The WOMAC stiffness of K/L grade ≥ 2 was correlated with knee extension 60 peak torque. The WOMAC function of K/L grade < 2 was correlated with age, grip strength, osteoporosis, nutrition status, and knee extension 180 peak torque. The WOMAC function of K/L grade ≥ 2 was correlated with age, nutrition status, and knee extension 60 peak torque. Conclusion: Muscle strength as measured by grip strength and knee extension was statistically significantly correlated with the WOMAC scores in patients with knee symptoms regardless of whether radiologic signs of knee osteoarthritis were observed.


1991 ◽  
Vol 71 (2) ◽  
pp. 644-650 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. R. Frontera ◽  
V. A. Hughes ◽  
K. J. Lutz ◽  
W. J. Evans

The isokinetic strength of the elbow and knee extensors and flexors was measured in 200 healthy 45- to 78-yr-old men and women to examine the relationship between muscle strength, age, and body composition. Peak torque was measured at 60 and 240 degrees/s in the knee and at 60 and 180 degrees/s in the elbow by use of a Cybex II isokinetic dynamometer. Fat-free mass (FFM) was estimated by hydrostatic weighing in all subjects, and muscle mass (MM) was determined in 141 subjects from urinary creatinine excretion. FFM and MM were significantly lower (P less than 0.001) in the oldest group. Strength of all muscle groups at both testing speeds was significantly (P less than 0.006) lower (range 15.5–26.7%) in the 65- to 78- than in the 45- to 54-yr-old men and women. When strength was adjusted for FFM or MM, the age-related differences were not significant in all muscle groups except the knee extensors tested at 240 degrees/s. Absolute strength of the women ranged from 42.2 to 62.8% that of men. When strength was expressed per kilogram of MM, these gender differences were smaller and/or not present. These data suggest that MM is a major determinant of the age- and gender-related differences in skeletal muscle strength. Furthermore, this finding is, to a large extent, independent of muscle location (upper vs. lower extremities) and function (extension vs. flexion).


Author(s):  
Vitor A. Marques ◽  
João B. Ferreira-Junior ◽  
Thiago V. Lemos ◽  
Rafael F. Moraes ◽  
José Roberto de S. Junior ◽  
...  

The study aimed to evaluate the effects of chemotherapy treatment on muscle strength, quality of life, fatigue, and anxiety in women with breast cancer. Nineteen women who were undergoing a chemotherapy treatment (breast cancer treatment [BCT] group, 52.2 ± 13.1 years) and 18 women without cancer (control [CNT] group, 55.8 ± 8.4 years) answered questionnaires for evaluation of fatigue (Fatigue Scale), quality of life (Short-Form Healthy Survey [SF-36] questionnaire), and anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory [IDATE]) levels. Muscle strength was also assessed by an isometric grip test and an isokinetic knee extension test. Physical limitations, social and emotional domains of quality of life were lower in the BCT group in comparison to the CNT group (p = 0.002; p = 0.003; p = 0.0003, respectively). The other domains did not differ between groups (p > 0.05). There were no differences in fatigue and anxiety levels between both the BCT and CNT groups (p > 0.05). Additionally, isometric grip strength was higher in the CNT group when compared to the BCT group (p = 0.048). However, there were no differences between the BCT and CNT groups for peak torque and total work at both 60°.s−1 (p = 0.95 and p = 0.61, respectively) and 180°.s−1 (p = 0.94 and p = 0.72, respectively). These results suggest that three cycles of chemotherapy treatment may impair handgrip isometric strength and quality of life in women with breast cancer.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramana Piussi ◽  
Daniel Broman ◽  
Erik Musslinder ◽  
Susanne Beischer ◽  
Roland Thomée ◽  
...  

Abstract BackgroundThe recovery of muscle function after an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) reconstruction is most commonly reported as limb-to-limb differences using the Limb Symmetry Index (LSI), which is not free from limitations. The purpose of this study was to compare the proportion of patients who recover their Preoperative Absolute Muscle Strength (PAMS) 8 and 12 months after ACL reconstruction with the proportion of patients who recover their symmetrical knee strength. A secondary aim was to assess the relationship between psychological Patient-Reported Outcomes (PROs) and recovering PAMS at 8 and 12 months after ACL reconstruction and rehabilitation.MethodPreoperative, 8- and 12-month results from quadriceps and hamstring strength tests and PROs for 117 patients were extracted from a rehabilitation registry. Individual preoperative peak torques from strength tests were compared with results from the 8- and 12-month follow-ups respectively. Patients were defined as having recovered their PAMS upon reaching 90% of their preoperative peak torque for both quadriceps and hamstring strength. Patients were defined as having recovered their LSI upon reaching a value ≥ 90% when comparing the results for their injured knee with those of their healthy knee. Correlations between the recovery of PAMS and PROs at 8 and 12 months were analyzed.ResultsThere was no difference in the proportion of patients who recovered their PAMS compared with patients who recovered their LSI. In all, 30% and 32% of the patients who recovered their LSI had not recovered their PAMS at 8 months and 12 months respectively. In the patients who had recovered their PAMS, 24% and 31% had not recovered their symmetrical LSI at 8 months and 12 months respectively. There was no significant correlation between the recovery of PAMS and psychological PROs. ConclusionThe use of both PAMS and LSI provides more detailed information on the recovery of muscle strength after ACL reconstruction. The recovery of PAMS was not correlated with psychological traits, which implies that both PROs and PAMS are important when evaluating patients after ACL reconstruction.Trial RegistrationEthical approval has been obtained from the Regional Ethical Review Board in Gothenburg, Sweden (registration numbers: 265-13, T023-17).


1996 ◽  
Vol 83 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 1155-1160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard W. Bohannon

Age-related changes in the muscle strength of the extremities of 123 women (20–79 years) were measured using a hand-held dynamometer. The isometric strength of three upper- and three lower-extremity muscle actions declined across ages. The magnitudes of strength decreases were a function of both the action and side tested. The earlier and steeper strength declines in actions of functional importance, e.g., knee extension, should alert those working with aging women of the potential importance of strengthening such muscle actions.


1999 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carrie Plaskett ◽  
Peter M. Tiidus ◽  
Lori Livingston

Ten volunteers (19-23 years old) performed 9 sets of 12 bilateral knee-extension exercises at 60% 1RM. Following exercise, 4 ultrasound treatments (5-cm transducer head, 1.0-MHz frequency, pulsed mode at 1.0 W/cm2) were applied for 8 min daily to the quadriceps muscle of a randomly selected treatment leg. The placebo leg received similar treatment with the ultrasound apparatus turned off. Knee-extension peak torque values and delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) were assessed on each leg prior to exercise and at 20 min and 24, 48, 72, and 96 hr postexercise. Postexercise peak torques declined to 60-70% of preexercise values and returned to normal by 96 hr. DOMS sensation peaked 24 hr postexercise and diminished thereafter. No significant differences in peak torque or DOMS were noted between ultrasound- or placebo-treated legs at any time postexercise. Hence ultrasound, as applied in this study, does not appear to be effective in enhancing postexercise muscle strength recovery or in diminishing DOMS.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudio de Oliveira Assumpção ◽  
Renan Vieira Barreto ◽  
Leonardo Coelho Rabello de Lima ◽  
Adalgiso Coscrato Cardozo ◽  
Maria Imaculada de Lima Montebelo ◽  
...  

Abstract Fatigue can be defined as exercise-induced strength loss. During running, fatigue can be partially explained by repetitive low-intensity eccentric contractions-induced muscle damage (EIMD). Previous studies showed that a bout of downhill running (DR) attenuated subsequent EIMD. Thus, we tested if a 30-min DR bout would attenuate fatigue induced by subsequent 60-min level running (LR). Twenty-seven male college students were randomly allocated to an experimental (EXP) or a control (CON) group. All participants performed LR on a treadmill at 70% of the velocity (vVO2peak) corresponding to peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak). Only EXP performed a 30-min DR (− 15%) on a treadmill at 70% vVO2peak fourteen days before LR. Indirect EIMD markers and neuromuscular function were assessed before, immediately and 48 h after DR and LR. Knee extension isometric peak torque (IPT) decreased (− 36.3 ± 26%, p < 0.05) immediately following DR with full recovery reached 48 h post-DR. Muscle soreness developed (p < 0.05) immediately (37 ± 25 mm) and 48 h (45 ± 26 mm) post-DR. IPT and rate of torque development (RTD) at late phases (> 150 ms) from the onset of muscle contraction decreased significantly (− 10.7 ± 6.1% and from − 15.4 to − 18.7%, respectively) immediately after LR for the CON group and remained below baseline values (− 5.6 ± 8.5% and from − 13.8 to − 14.9%, respectively) 48 h post-LR. However, IPT and late RTD were not significantly affected by LR for the EXP group, showing a group x time interaction effect. We concluded that a single DR bout can be used to attenuate fatigue induced by a LR performed fourteen days after.


1997 ◽  
Vol 83 (5) ◽  
pp. 1581-1587 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. S. Lindle ◽  
E. J. Metter ◽  
N. A. Lynch ◽  
J. L. Fleg ◽  
J. L. Fozard ◽  
...  

Lindle, R. S., E. J. Metter, N. A. Lynch, J. L. Fleg, J. L. Fozard, J. Tobin, T. A. Roy, and B. F. Hurley. Age and gender comparisons of muscle strength in 654 women and men aged 20–93 yr. J. Appl. Physiol. 83(5): 1581–1587, 1997.—To assess age and gender differences in muscle strength, isometric, concentric (Con), and eccentric (Ecc) peak torque was measured in the knee extensors at a slow (0.52 rad/s) and fast (3.14 rad/s) velocity in 654 subjects (346 men and 308 women, aged 20–93 yr) from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. Regression analysis revealed significant ( P < 0.001) age-related reductions in Con and Ecc peak torque for men and women at both velocities, but no differences were observed between the gender groups or velocities. Age explained losses in Con better than Ecc peak torque, accounting for 30% (Con) vs. 19% (Ecc) of the variance in men and 28% (Con) vs. 11% (Ecc) in women. To assess age and gender differences in the ability to store and utilize elastic energy, the stretch-shortening cycle was determined in a subset of subjects ( n = 47). The older women (mean age = 70 yr) showed a significantly greater enhancement in the stretch-shortening cycle, compared with men of similar age ( P < 0.01) and compared with younger men and women (each P < 0.05). Both men and women showed significant declines in muscle quality for Con peak torque ( P < 0.01), but no gender differences were observed. Only the men showed a significant decline in muscle quality ( P < 0.001) for Ecc peak torque. Thus both men and women experience age-related losses in isometric, Con, and Ecc knee extensor peak torque; however, age accounted for less of the variance in Ecc peak torque in women, and women tend to better preserve muscle quality with age for Ecc peak torque. In addition, older women have an enhanced capacity to store and utilize elastic energy compared with similarly aged men as well as with younger women and men.


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