AGE-RELATED CHANGES IN NEUROMUSCULAR FUNCTION AND PERFORMANCE FOLLOWING A HIGH-INTENSITY INTERMITTENT TASK IN ENDURANCE TRAINED MEN

François Bieuzen (1, 2) , Christophe Hausswirth (1) , Jeanick Brisswalter (2) , Julien Louis (2)

1 SEP (EA7370) - French Institute of Sport (INSEP), Laboratory Sport, Expertise and Performance (EA7370)
2 UTLN - Université de Toulon

Background: A greater attention has been focused on the need to design strategies to increase functional capacities in older populations. This has raised several questions regarding the ability of regular endurance training to preserve functional capacity with age. Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the age-associated changes in neuromuscular function in endurance trained men before and after a high-intensity, intermittent fatigue task. Method: 26 healthy endurance trained male subjects: 16 old (59-79 yrs) and 10 young (20-34 yrs) men per-formed a high-intensity, intermittent fatigue exercise corresponding to 10 sets of 10 repetitions on a hori-zontal leg press at 70% of the individual one repetition maximum. Maximal voluntary contractions (MVC) and evoked contractions of the knee extensors muscles were performed before and after the exercise. Results: Decreases in MVC (old: -9.7 % and young: -14.3 %) and electromyographic activity were not different between groups. Peak twitch torque was reduced only for the old men and no changes in voluntary activa-tion and M-wave properties were recorded in either group. Conclusion: The present study indicates in endurance trained men aged 59-79 years that muscle functional capacities are maintained despite losses in strength and contractile function related to the age.

Mots clés: EVOKED TWITCH; M-WAVE; NEUROMUSCULAR PERFORMANCE; AGING; ENDURANCE TRAINING

Domaines: Physiologie du sport

François Bieuzen, Christophe Hausswirth, Jeanick Brisswalter, Julien Louis. AGE-RELATED CHANGES IN NEUROMUSCULAR FUNCTION AND PERFORMANCE FOLLOWING A HIGH-INTENSITY INTERMITTENT TASK IN ENDURANCE TRAINED MEN. Gerontology, 2010, 56 (1), pp.66-72. ⟨hal-01781794⟩