Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 5, 2025

Measurement of Maximum Isometric Force Generated by Permeabilized Skeletal Muscle Fibers
Published on: June 16, 2015
Aging and skeletal muscle force control: Current perspectives and future directions
Jamie Pethick1, Matthew J D Taylor1, Stephen D R Harridge2
1School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences, University of Essex, Essex, UK.
Older adults exhibit reduced force control, showing less complex and more variable muscle force output compared to younger adults. This age-related decline impacts daily activities and may be linked to motor unit discharge variability.
Area of Science:
- Motor control and aging
- Human physiology
- Biomechanics
Background:
- Voluntary muscle contractions exhibit inherent force fluctuations.
- These fluctuations reflect the accuracy and adaptability of force output control.
- Age-related changes in force control are significant for functional capacity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize age-associated differences in force output fluctuations.
- To explore factors influencing age-related force control deficits.
- To investigate the relationship between force control and functional performance.
Main Methods:
- Quantification of force fluctuations' magnitude and complexity during voluntary contractions.
- Comparison of force control between young and older adults.
- Analysis of factors like muscle group, contraction intensity, and cognitive load.
Main Results:
- Older adults display greater force fluctuation magnitude and lower complexity than young adults.
- Force control deficits are influenced by task-specific factors.
- Age-associated loss-of-force control correlates with reduced performance in daily living activities.
Conclusions:
- Aging is associated with impaired force steadiness and adaptability.
- Force control decline in aging is a critical factor for functional capacity.
- Interventions like physical activity may mitigate age-related force control loss, warranting further research.
More Related Videos
09:50Application of Chronic Stimulation to Study Contractile Activity-induced Rat Skeletal Muscle Phenotypic Adaptations
Published on: January 25, 2018
10:10Preparation and Culture of Myogenic Precursor Cells/Primary Myoblasts from Skeletal Muscle of Adult and Aged Humans
Published on: February 16, 2017
Related Concept Videos
Overview of Skeletal Muscle
Motor Unit Stimulation
The latent period of contraction marks the onset of excitation-contraction coupling, when the action potential propagates across the sarcolemma, preparing the muscle fibers for contraction. As the fibers enter the contraction phase, the...
Generation of Action Potential in Skeletal Muscles
Like neurons, muscle cells are also regarded as excitable due to their capacity to change in response to stimuli, primarily due to voltage-gated ion channels embedded in their plasma membranes, which get activated by alterations in the...
Excitation-Contraction Coupling in Skeletal Muscles
When an action...
Cross-bridge Cycle