Influence of exercise intensity on training-induced tendon mechanical properties changes in older individuals.

Grosset, Jean-Francois; Breen, Leigh; Stewart, Claire E.; Burgess, Katherine E.; Onambélé, Gladys L.

Abstract

This study compared the effects of low vs. high intensity training on tendon properties in an elderly population. Participants were pair-matched (gender, habitual physical activity, anthropometrics, and baseline knee extension strength) and then randomly assigned to low (LowR, i.e., ~40 % 1RM) or high (High R, i.e., ~80 % 1RM) intensity resistance training programmes for 12 weeks, 3x per week (LowR, n = 9, age 74 ± 5 years; HighR, n = 8, age 68 ± 6 years). Patellar tendon properties (stiffness [K], Young's modulus [YM], cross-sectional area [T CSA], and tendon length [T L]) were measured pre and post training using a combination of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), B-mode ultrasonography, dynamometry, electromyography and ramped isometric knee extensions. With training K showed no significant change in the LowR group while it incremented by 57.7 % in the HighR group (p < 0.05). The 51.1 % group difference was significant (p < 0.05). These differences were still apparent when the data was normalized for T CSA and T L, i.e., significant increase in YM post-intervention in HighR (p < 0.05), but no change in LowR. These findings suggest that when prescribing exercise for a mixed genders elderly population, exercise intensities of ≤40 % 1RM may not be sufficient to affect tendon properties.

Citation

GROSSET, J.-F., BREEN, L., STEWART, C.E., BURGESS, K.E. and ONAMBÉLÉ, G.L. 2014. Influence of exercise intensity on training-induced tendon mechanical properties changes in older individuals. AGE [online], 36(3), article number 9657. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11357-014-9657-9

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Apr 13, 2014
• Online Publication Date: Apr 24, 2014
• Publication Date: Jun 30, 2014
• Deposit Date: Sep 4, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: Oct 31, 2023
• Journal: AGE
• Print ISSN: 0161-9152
• Electronic ISSN: 1574-4647
• Publisher: Springer
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 36
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 1433-1442
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11357-014-9657-9
• Keywords: Elderly; Tendon properties; Resistance training; Load intensity
• Public URL: https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/2060299