ELECTROMECHANICAL DELAY AND LEG –SPRING STIFFNESS IN YOUNG AND OLDER MEN

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  • Andrew J. Harrison
  • Shamus Larkin

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muscle-tendon stiffness##common.commaListSeparator## running##common.commaListSeparator## ageing##common.commaListSeparator## jumping

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This study compared leg-spring stiffness and electromechanical delay times in muscles of older and younger adult males. Vertical leg-spring stiffness measures were obtained from 10 older males and 12 younger males who completed drop jumps on a force-sledge apparatus from a drop height of 30 cm. Electromechanical delay times were also obtained on the ankle plantar flexors while performing a simple heel raise activity. The results indicated that younger males produced 24% longer EMD times and 58% higher leg-spring stiffness scores compared with older males (p <0.001). These results suggest that younger males jumped using a stiffer overall leg-spring but older males have a stiffer tendon contribution to overall leg–spring stiffness.

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2007-10-28

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24 International Symposium on Biomechanics in Sports (2006)

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Muscle-Skeleton-Mechanics

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Authors can retain copyright, while granting the International Society of Biomechanics in Sports (ISBS) the right of first publication.