Differences in size, strength, and power of upper and lower body muscle groups in young and older men

Abstract

We compared muscle thickness, torque, normalized torque (torque/muscle thickness), and power at 1.05 rad/s and 3.14 rad/s in flexor and extensor muscles of the elbow and knee, and in ankle plantar flexors in young (n = 22, 18-31 years) and older (n = 28, 59-76 years) men. Young men had greater muscle thickness for all muscle groups (p < .01), except elbow extensors, which were similar to older men. Young men had greater torque and power at both velocities for all muscle groups (p < .01), and greater normalized torque at both velocities for the elbow extensors and knee flexors and at the fast velocity for knee extensors. Relative to young mean values, muscle thickness, and torque, normalized torque, and power in the older group were most affected for lower-body measurements, especially at the fast velocity. Torque, normalized torque, and power (especially at fast velocities), and muscle thickness in the lower body are affected more by aging than are upper body measures in men. Copyright 2005 by The Gerontological Society of America.