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Is co-contraction responsible for the decline in maximal knee joint torque in older males?

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Abstract

While it is often reported that muscular coactivation increases with age, the mechanical impact of antagonist muscles, i.e., the antagonist torque, remains to be assessed. The aim of this study was to determine if the mechanical impact of the antagonist muscles may contribute to the age-related decline in the resultant torque during maximal voluntary contraction in knee flexion (KF) and knee extension (KE). Eight young (19–28 years old) and eight older (62–81 years old) healthy males participated in neuromuscular testing. Maximal resultant torque was simultaneously recorded with the electromyographic activity of quadriceps and hamstring muscles. The torque recorded in the antagonist muscles was estimated using a biofeedback technique. Resultant torques significantly decreased with age in both KF (−41 %, p < 0.005) and KE (−35 %, p < 0.01). Agonist and antagonist torques were significantly reduced in KF (−44 %, p < 0.05; −57 %, p < 0.05) and in KE (−37 %, p < 0.01; −50 %, p < 0.05). The torque elicited by double twitch stimulation (−37 %, p < 0.01) and the activation level (−12 %, p < 0.05) of quadriceps was significantly lower in older men compared to young men. This study showed that antagonist torques were not responsible for age-related declines in KF and KE resultant torques. Therefore, decreased resultant torques with age, in particular in KE, can primarily be explained by impairments of the peripheral factors (excitation–contraction coupling) as well as by decreased neural agonist activation.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the participants of the present study, as well as Cyril Sirandré for his technical assistance. They also like to express their gratitude to Dr. Grant Handrigan, Dr. Annette Gallant, and Miranda Noyes for the English revision of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire INSERM U1093 Cognition, Action, et Plasticité Sensorimotrice, Faculté des Sciences du Sport, Université de Bourgogne, Campus Universitaire, BP 27877, F-21078, Dijon, France

    Maxime Billot, Yves Ballay & Alain Martin

  2. Laboratoire Movement to Health, Faculté des sciences du sport, Université Montpellier-1, EuroMov, 700 Avenue du Pic Saint Loup, 34090, Montpellier, France

    Maxime Billot

  3. Laboratoire GRAME, Faculté de médecine, Département de kinésiologie, Université Laval, 2300 rue de la Terrasse, Québec, G1V0A6, QC, Canada

    Maxime Billot

  4. Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec–Centre d’excellence sur le vieillissement de Québec, Québec, QC, Canada

    Maxime Billot

  5. Laboratoire PRISSMH, Université de Toulouse, UPS, Toulouse, France

    Julien Duclay

  6. Laboratoire d’Automatique, de Mécanique, et d’Informatique industrielles et Humaines (LAMIH)—UMR CNRS 8201, Université de Valenciennes et du Hainaut-Cambrésis (UVHC), 59313, Valenciennes, France

    Emilie M. Simoneau-Buessinger

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  1. Maxime Billot
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  2. Julien Duclay
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  4. Yves Ballay
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  5. Alain Martin
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Correspondence to Maxime Billot.

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Billot, M., Duclay, J., Simoneau-Buessinger, E.M. et al. Is co-contraction responsible for the decline in maximal knee joint torque in older males?. AGE 36, 899–910 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11357-014-9616-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11357-014-9616-5

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