Achilles tendon loading is lower in older adults than young adults across a broad range of walking speeds.

Achilles tendon loading is lower in older adults than young adults across a broad range of walking speeds. Exp Gerontol. 2020 Apr 29;:110966 Authors: Ebrahimi A, Loegering IF, Martin JA, Pomeroy RL, Roth JD, Thelen DG Abstract The purpose of this study was to investigate age-related differences in Achilles tendon loading during gait. Fourteen young (7F/7M, 26 ± 5 years) and older (7F/7M, 67 ± 5 years) adults without current neurological or orthopaedic impairment participated. Shear wave tensiometry was used to measure tendon stress by tracking Achilles tendon wave speed. The wave speed-stress relationship was calibrated using simultaneous tensiometer and force plate measures during a standing sway task. Tendon stress was computed from the force plate measures using subject-specific ultrasound measures of tendon moment arm and cross-sectional area. All subjects exhibited a highly linear relationship between wave speed squared and tendon stress (mean R2 > 0.9), with no significant age-group differences in tensiometer calibration parameters. Tendon wave speed was monitored during treadmill walking at four speeds (0.75, 1.00, 1.25, and 1.50 m/s) and used to compute the stress transmitted by the tendon. Relative to young adults, older adults exhibited 22% lower peak tendon wave speeds. Peak tendon stress during push-off in older adults (24.8 MPa) was 32% less than in the young adults (36.7 MPa) (p = 0.01). T...
Source: Experimental Gerontology - Category: Geriatrics Authors: Tags: Exp Gerontol Source Type: research