Abstract
Despite projections of a substantial increase of older adults in the working population, studies addressing the effects of age on muscular performance are still limited. The purpose of this study was to examine age-related differences in muscular endurance, fatigue, and recovery during prolonged static exertions. Groups of 24 younger and 16 older participants performed isometric arm abductions until exhaustion at 30, 50 and 70% of individual strength. Recovery was determined over 15-minutes following the end of the exercise. Electromyographic signals obtained from the middle deltoid muscle were used to evaluate fatigue progression during the exercise. Compared to the younger participants, the older individuals exhibited lower muscular strength, longer endurance time, slower fatigue progressions, less reduction in muscle strength, and shorter recovery periods. This study suggests that fatigue-related differences exist between age groups, and the results may be used to better design task for older workers.
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