Faculty Collaboration Database

Fatigue and recovery from dynamic contractions in men and women differ for arm and leg muscles. Muscle Nerve 2013 Sep;48(3):436-9

Date

03/16/2013

Pubmed ID

23494882

Pubmed Central ID

PMC3951745

DOI

10.1002/mus.23836

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-84883049855 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   87 Citations

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Whether there is a gender difference in fatigue and recovery from maximal velocity fatiguing contractions and across muscles is not understood.

METHODS: Sixteen men and 19 women performed 90 isotonic contractions at maximal voluntary shortening velocity (maximal velocity concentric contractions, MVCC) with the elbow flexor and knee extensor muscles (separate days) at a load equivalent to 20% maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC).

RESULTS: Power (from MVCCs) decreased similarly for men and women for both muscles (P > 0.05). Men and women had similar declines in MVIC of elbow flexors, but men had greater reductions in knee extensor MVIC force and MVIC electromyogram activity than women (P < 0.05). The decline in MVIC and power was greater, and force recovery was slower for the elbow flexors compared with knee extensors.

CONCLUSIONS: The gender difference in muscle fatigue often observed during isometric tasks was diminished during fast dynamic contractions for upper and lower limb muscles.

Author List

Senefeld J, Yoon T, Bement MH, Hunter SK

Author

Marie Hoeger Bement MPT,PhD Associate Professor in the Physical Therapy department at Marquette University

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Arm
Electromyography
Fatigue
Female
Humans
Isotonic Contraction
Leg
Male
Muscle, Skeletal
Nonlinear Dynamics
Recovery of Function
Sex Characteristics
Time Factors
Young Adult