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Stretch‐shortening cycle muscle power in women and men aged 18–81 years: Influence of age and gender
Author(s) -
Edwén C. E.,
Thorlund J. B.,
Magnusson S. P.,
Slinde F.,
Svantesson U.,
Hulthén L.,
Aagaard P.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of medicine and science in sports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.575
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1600-0838
pISSN - 0905-7188
DOI - 10.1111/sms.12066
Subject(s) - muscle power , medicine , stretch shortening cycle , demography , age groups , physiology , physical therapy , jumping , sociology
This study explored the age‐related deterioration in stretch‐shortening cycle ( SSC ) muscle power and concurrent force–velocity properties in women and men across the adult life span. A total of 315 participants (women: n = 188; men: n = 127) aged 18–81 years performed maximal countermovement jumps on an instrumented force plate. Maximal SSC leg extension power expressed per kg body mass ( P peak ) was greater in men than in women across the adult age span ( P < 0.001); however, this gender difference was progressively reduced with increasing age, because men showed an ∼50% faster rate of decline in SSC power than women ( P < 0.001). Velocity at peak power ( VP peak ) was greater in men than in women ( P < 0.001) but declined at a greater rate in men than in women ( P = 0.002). Vertical ground reaction force at peak power ( FP peak ) was higher in men than in women in younger adults only ( P < 0.001) and the age‐related decline was steeper in men than in women ( P < 0.001). Men demonstrated a steeper rate of decline in P peak than women with progressive aging. This novel finding emerged as a result of greater age‐related losses in men for both force and velocity. Consequently, maximal SSC power production was observed to converge between genders when approaching old age.