Isometric versus Dynamic Measurements of Fatigue: Does Age Matter? A Meta-analysis

Purpose The assessment of power changes after fatiguing exercise provides important additional information about neuromuscular function compared with traditional isometric measurements, especially when exploring age-related changes in fatigability. Therefore, the aim of this review was to explore the effects of age on neuromuscular fatigue (NMF) when measured in isometric compared with dynamic contractions. The importance of central and peripheral mechanisms contributing to age-related NMF was discussed. Methods Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and SPORT Discus databases were searched. The combination of terms related to the intervention (fatiguing exercise), population (old people) and outcomes (isometric force and power) were used. This meta-analysis was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42016048389). Results Thirty-one studies were included. The meta-analyses revealed that force decrease was greater (there was more NMF) in young subjects than their older counterparts when fatigue was induced by isometric tasks (effect size [ES], 0.913; confidence interval [CI], 0.435–1.391; P
Source: Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise - Category: Sports Medicine Tags: Applied Sciences Source Type: research