Defining an international cut-off of two-legged countermovement jump power for sarcopenia and dysmobility syndrome

The impact of track and field training on dynapenia: gender differences in age-related decline of vertical jump performance among older adults

Introduction

Alongside sarcopenia, the age-related loss of muscle strength and power, known as dynapenia, increases the risk of functional disability and mortality in older adults. However, engaging in sporting activities during old age appears to enhance functional capacity. The differences in effects between athletes and sedentary individuals, as well as between genders, have yet to be fully clarified.

Methods

The vertical jump test is recognized as a measure of lower limb performance with almost no learning effect. In the present study, we quantified age-related countermovement jump (CMJ) height loss in 120 subjects over 58 years old among both master athletes and sedentary counterparts, and analysed gender differences.

Results

Both male and female master athletes showed significantly higher jump heights results than their sedentary counterparts (male athletes 28.5 ± 4.3 cm vs. male sedentaries 15.1 ± 5.2 cm; p < 0.01; female athletes 22.7 ± 2.5 cm vs. female sedentaries 8.2 ± 3.3 cm; p < 0.01). Female athletes were found to have higher CMJ performance than even sedentary men (p < 0.01). The rate of decline in jumping ability was the same for male athletes and non-athletes, but female athletes had the shallower rate of decline of all the groups observed (2.78 cm per decade).

Discussion

Sporting activity in the older age allows both men and women to perform at a higher level, with the latter also benefiting from a slower rate of decline, which can have a positive impact on functional ability and quality of life.

Countermovement Jump Peak Power Changes with Age in Masters Weightlifters

Aging is associated with decreased muscle strength and power. Power is particularly important for maintaining the independence of older adults when performing activities of daily living. The countermovement jump has been identified as a reliable and safe method to assess lower extremity power across the lifespan. The purpose of this investigation was to study sex differences and age-related changes in countermovement jump peak power among masters weightlifters with the secondary purpose of comparing results to previous reports of community and masters athletes. Female (n = 63, 39 to 70 yrs, med (56 yrs)) and male (n = 39, 35 to 86 yrs, med (59 yrs)) participants of the 2022 World Masters Championships completed three maximal effort countermovement jump repetitions following a dynamic warm-up. Vertical ground reaction forces were recorded, and peak power normalized to body mass was calculated. Results indicated significant age-related peak power among weightlifters, with the decline being significantly more pronounced in males than females. Female weightlifters exhibited less age-related decline compared to normative data as well as the other Master athlete comparison cohorts (short and long-distance runners), whereas the males demonstrated similar age-related declines as the comparison cohorts. While the female weightlifters in the current study generally demonstrated the least age-related declines in CMJ peak power of the comparative literature, the male weightlifters showed similar age-related decline rates.

Urban-rural differences in the prevalence and associated factors of sarcopenia: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Loss of muscle mass, muscle strength, and/or physical performance due to aging is known as sarcopenia. Regardless of how serious this illness is, no single diagnostic criteria have been established. Much research conducted recently has demonstrated differences between built environment characteristics (i.e., urban and rural) and the occurrence of sarcopenia; however, variations in sarcopenia prevalence in urban-rural areas around the world have been reported by fewer studies. This work sought to determine how sarcopenia prevalence varied between urban and rural areas and to explore the associated influencing factors.

METHODS

Using the pertinent MESH phrases and free words, PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and China national knowledge infrastructure databases were scanned for core sarcopenia literature up to February 26, 2023. Observational studies involving urban-rural patients with sarcopenia published in Chinese and English, and assessing muscle mass via computed tomography, bioelectrical impedance, or dual-energy X-ray absorption techniques were considered as inclusion criteria. The meta-analysis involved analysis of the urban-rural prevalence in subgroups by diagnostic criteria, tools for assessing muscle mass and study type, as well as the factors related to urban-rural differences in the occurrence of sarcopenia. STATA version 11.0 was used to perform the statistical analysis.

RESULTS

Sixty-six articles involving 433,091 participants were included for analysis: of which 27 were analyzed for both prevalence and related factors whereas 39 were for only prevalence. The meta-analysis revealed the prevalence of sarcopenia to be 0.18 (95 % CI 0.14-0.22), with significant heterogeneity (P < 0.001; I2 = 99.9 %). Moreover, the prevalence of sarcopenia in urban group [0.16 (I2 = 99.9 %, 95 % CI 0.1-0.22)] was lower than in rural group [0.2 (I2 = 99.6 %, 95 % CI 0.16-0.25)] and urban-rural group [0.21 (I2 = 97.5 %, 95 % CI 0.16-0.25)]. Besides, the factors significantly associated with sarcopenia in urban-rural areas were age, gender, BMI, malnutrition, physical activity, and polypharmacy. There was significant heterogeneity between these factors and the association of sarcopenia.

CONCLUSIONS

Sarcopenia is associated with aspects of the built environment, and studies have revealed that sarcopenia is more common in rural than in urban populations with influencing factors including age, gender, BMI, poor nutrition, insufficient physical activity, and polypharmacy. The lack of uniform diagnostic criteria makes a robust and comprehensive assessment difficult. Therefore, the formation of certain universal and standardized diagnostic criteria will help future research on sarcopenia.

The characteristics of the body mass frequency index in dysmobility syndrome: A pilot study

BACKGROUND

With the advancement of global aging, there has been an increase in patients with dysmobility syndrome (DS), often accompanied by osteoporosis, sarcopenia, and sarcopenic obesity. The objective of this study was to evaluate the application value of the body mass frequency index (BMFI) in older patients with DS by comprehensively analyzing the differences in BMFI between community-dwelling older subjects using medical and engineering methods.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted to recruit community-dwelling older subjects aged 60-90 years. Various assessments and measurements were performed, including basic information collection, gait analysis, bone mineral density (BMD) and body composition measurement, fall and fracture risk et al. Gait analysis and body mass index (BMI) are in the established model to calculate BMFI. Analysis of BMFI was performed in community-dwelling older subjects, and the specificity and threshold of BMFI in predicting dysmobility syndrome (DS) were further analyzed.

RESULTS

Significant differences in BMFI were observed between older adults with DS and those without DS. BMFI in older people was associated with bone quality, fracture risk, body fat percentage, appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (ASMI), grip strength, and speed. The odds ratio (OR) and 95 % confidence interval (CI) for BMFI in the non-DS and DS groups were 0.823 (0.743-0.901), respectively. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis demonstrated that BMFI had predictive value in distinguishing non-DS from DS (AUC = 0.669) (P < 0.05). The optimal threshold for predicting non-DS and DS was found to be 16.04 (sensitivities = 0.483, specificities = 0.774).

CONCLUSION

The measurement of BMFI has demonstrated disparities in musculoskeletal status among older adults with and without DS. Notably, BMFI exhibits a unique predictive capacity for DS among the elderly population.

Preclinical assessment of rodent jumping power with a novel electrical stimulation-assisted device

Sarcopenia is a progressive loss of muscle mass and strength that is associated with increasing the risk of falls, musculoskeletal diseases, and chronic metabolic diseases. However, the animal models adopted to study sarcopenia face limitations since the functional tests conducted on human cannot be directly adapted to animals because the animals do not follow instructions. Moreover, current preclinical research tools for muscle function assessment, such as the rotarod, grip strength, and treadmill, have limitations, including low-intensity simple movements, evaluator subjectivity, and limited power indicators. Hence, in this study, we present a new jumping-power assessment tool in a preclinical rodent model to demonstrate muscle functions. To overcome the light weight and command issues in the rodent model, we developed an electrical stimulation-assisted jump power assessment device. Precisely, the device utilizes a load cell with a 0.1 g resolution and a 50 points/s data acquisition rate to capture the short period of the mouse jump. Additionally, interdigitated electrodes are used to electrically stimulate the mice and make them jump. While our primary focus in this article is the validation of the newly developed jump power assessment device, it is worth noting that this tool has several potential utilities. These include the phenotypic comparison of sarcopenia models, the exploration of muscle function reduction mechanisms, muscle function-related blood biomarkers, and the evaluation of drug intervention effects.

Geriatrics Fact Sheet in Korea 2021

South Korea became an aged society in 2017 and is predicted to become a super-aged society by 2025. Therefore, knowing the trends among older adults and identifying the geriatric burden are crucial for both healthcare professionals and policymakers. We previously summarized the general health and socioeconomic profiles of Korean older adults from the 2017 National Survey of Living Conditions and Welfare Needs of Older Koreans. In this update, we briefly summarized the results of the 2020 National Survey of Living Conditions and Welfare Needs of Older Koreans by categorizing them according to their general aging profile, socioeconomic status, lifestyle, and health status. In addition, we reviewed recent updates in the field of frailty and sarcopenia from population-based community cohorts in Korea. We hope this study will serve as a current reference for nationwide statistical data on common clinical and social parameters used in geriatrics and gerontology.

Computed Tomography-Derived Skeletal Muscle Radiodensity Predicts Peak Weight-Corrected Jump Power in Older Adults: The Korean Urban Rural Elderly (KURE) Study

Computed tomography (CT)-derived skeletal muscle area (SMA) and skeletal muscle radiodensity (SMD) reflect distinctive quantitative and qualitative characteristics of skeletal muscles. However, data on whether CT-based muscle parameters, especially SMD, can predict muscle function is limited. In a prospective cohort, 1523 community-dwelling older adults who underwent abdominal CT scans and the countermovement two-legged jumping test on a ground reaction force platform were analyzed (mean age 74.7 years, 65.1% women). SMA and SMD were measured at third lumbar vertebra level (L3). Individuals with low jump power (peak weight-corrected jump power < 23.8 W/kg in men and < 19.0 W/kg in women using clinically validated threshold) were older; had lower SMA, SMD, and maximal grip strength values; and had lower chair rise test and timed up and go test performance than those without low jump power. SMD was positively associated with peak weight-corrected jump power (adjusted β = 0.33 and 0.23 per 1 HU increase in men and women, respectively, p < 0.001). One HU decrement in SMD was associated with 10% elevated odds of low jump power (adjusted OR [aOR] 1.10, p < 0.001) after adjusting for age, sex, height, inflammation, and insulin resistance markers, whereas the association of SMA with low jump power was attenuated (aOR 1.00, p = 0.721). SMD showed better discrimination for low jump power than SMA (AUC 0.699 vs. 0.617, p < 0.001), with additional improvement when added to SMA and conventional risk factors (AUC 0.745 to 0.773, p < 0.001). Therefore, CT-measured L3 SMD can be a sensitive surrogate marker for muscle function along with SMA in older adults, which merits further investigation.

Age-Related Decline in Vertical Jumping Performance in Masters Track and Field Athletes: Concomitant Influence of Body Composition

Vertical jumping power declines with advancing age, which is theoretically explicable by loss of muscle mass and increases in body fat. However, the results of previous cross-sectional studies remain inconsistent on these relationships. The present study included 256 masters athletes who competed at the 2018 track and field world championships in Málaga, Spain. We assessed body composition with bioelectrical impedance (Inbody S10) and vertical jumping power with a Leonardo ground reaction force platform. Relationships between age, jumping power, and body composition were analyzed by correlation and regression analyses. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used to evaluate effects of each factor on vertical jumping power. Age-related rates of decreases in maximal power and jump height were similar between male and female athletes. Percent fat-free mass and percent body fat were negatively and positively, respectively, associated with age in masters athletes and were comparable to those previously observed in the general population. Moreover, these effects in body composition can, to a great extent, explain the age-related decline in jumping power, an effect that seems at least partly independent of age. Finally, the multiple regression model to determine independent predictors of vertical jump performance yielded an overall R² value of 0.75 with the inclusion of (1) athletic specialization in power events, (2) percent fat-free mass, and (3) phase angle. However, partial regression yielded significant effects of age, but not gender, on peak power, even when adjusting for athletic specialization, percent fat-free mass, and phase angle. We concluded that loss of skeletal muscle mass and changes in bio-impedance phase angle are important contributors to the age-related reduction in anaerobic power, even in adults who maintain high levels of physical activity into old age. However, age per se remains a significant predictor of vertical jump performance, further demonstrating deteriorated muscle quality at old age (sarcosthenia).