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Factors relating to gender specificity of unloading‐induced declines in strength
Author(s) -
Deschenes Michael R.,
Mccoy Raymond W.,
Mangis Katherine A.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
muscle and nerve
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.025
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1097-4598
pISSN - 0148-639X
DOI - 10.1002/mus.23289
Subject(s) - isometric exercise , medicine , muscle strength , physical medicine and rehabilitation , neuromuscular transmission , electromyography , physical therapy
: This investigation aimed to: (1) confirm whether women were more vulnerable to the negative neuromuscular adaptations elicited by muscle unloading and if so, (2) determine which physiological mechanism(s) explain those gender‐related differences. Methods : Healthy young men (20.7 ± 0.3 years) and women (20.3 ± 0.3 years)—( N = 12/group)—participated by completing neuromuscular functional tests before and after 7 days of unloading. Results : During isokinetic testing of peak torque, work performed, and power, women displayed significantly ( P ≤ 0.05) greater declines in performance than men at 1.05 and 2.09, but not 0.53 rads/s. During maximal isometric contractions, women experienced greater strength decrements. Similar gender‐specific adaptations to unloading were found in EMG activity, but not muscle mass, neuromuscular transmission, or force relative to EMG. Conclusions : Women are more susceptible to the adaptations of muscle unloading, and disturbances in neural drive from the central nervous system are probably responsible. Muscle Nerve 46: 210–217, 2012