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Elderly oarsmen have larger trunk and thigh muscles and greater strength than age-matched untrained men

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Abstract

To evaluate whether regularly performed rowing exercise affects the trunk muscles size and function, and to examine the effect of rowing exercise on thigh muscle size and function in elderly rowers, we compared the cross-sectional area (CSA) and strength of these muscles in elderly male rowers and in age-matched untrained men. Participants were 16 elderly rowing-trained men (ROW age, 67.8 ± 2.3 years) and 18 elderly untrained men (CON 66.2 ± 3.0 years). CSA was measured by MRI in the trunk and thigh muscles. Isometric trunk flexion force and leg extension power were measured. ROW had a 20% larger total trunk muscle CSA than CON (P < 0.01); rectus abdominis was 27% larger, psoas major 64% larger, and erector spinae 14% larger in ROW than in CON (P < 0.05–0.001). Isometric trunk flexion force was related to the CSA of the rectus abdominis (r = 0.777, P < 0.001) and psoas major (r = 0.694, P < 0.001), and was 42% larger in ROW than in CON (P < 0.001). However, force adjusted for the CSA of the muscles did not differ significantly between CON and ROW. In ROW, the CSA was 13% larger in the total thigh muscles (P < 0.01), and leg extension power was 43% higher than in CON (P < 0.001). These results suggest that rowing exercise is a favorable training modality for the trunk muscles, especially psoas major and that it improves thigh muscle size and function in elderly men.

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Acknowledgments

The authors express their appreciation to the subjects for their cooperation in this study. This work was supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research 20192289 (to M. Higuchi) from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science; a Research Grant for Health Sciences Research Grants from the Ministry of Health, and Labour and Welfare; and Medical Health Care Research Grants from the Consolidated Research Institute for Advanced Science and Medical Care at Waseda University. This experiment was partly supported by the Grant-in-Aid for the Global COE “Sport Science for the Promotion of Active Life” from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) of Japan.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, 135-1 Horinouchi, Tokorozawa, Saitama, 359-1165, Japan

    Meiko Asaka & Yohei Takai

  2. Consolidated Research Institute for Advanced Science and Medical Care, Waseda University, 513 Wasedatsurumaki-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-0041, Japan

    Chiyoko Usui & Mitsuru Higuchi

  3. Faculty of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, 135-1 Horinouchi, Tokorozawa, Saitama, 359-1165, Japan

    Megumi Ohta, Tetsuo Fukunaga & Mitsuru Higuchi

Authors
  1. Meiko Asaka
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  2. Chiyoko Usui
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  3. Megumi Ohta
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  4. Yohei Takai
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  5. Tetsuo Fukunaga
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  6. Mitsuru Higuchi
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Correspondence to Mitsuru Higuchi.

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Communicated by Håkan Westerblad.

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Asaka, M., Usui, C., Ohta, M. et al. Elderly oarsmen have larger trunk and thigh muscles and greater strength than age-matched untrained men. Eur J Appl Physiol 108, 1239–1245 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-009-1337-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-009-1337-6

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