Observation of Age-Related Decline in the Performance of the Transverse Abdominis Muscle

Paul Davies; Fergal M Grace; Mark P Lewis; Nicholas Sculthorpe

doi:10.1016/j.pmrj.2015.05.023

Observation of Age-Related Decline in the Performance of the Transverse Abdominis Muscle

Paul Davies, Fergal M Grace, Mark P Lewis, Nicholas Sculthorpe

School of Health and Life Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Previous research has shown that the performance of skeletal muscle declines with advancing age. Coordination of the transverse abdominis (TrA), a deep postural muscle, has been shown to be reduced in persons with low back pain. No previous research has studied the effect of age on the activation on this muscle.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the effect of age on TrA activation in response to rapid arm abduction.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional cohort study.

SETTING

University exercise physiology laboratory.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 18 adult men (aged 27 ± 7.0 years) for the younger group and 11 older adults (5 men and 6 women, aged 59.6 ± 4.0 years) were recruited for this study.

METHOD

Participants were positioned on a treatment table and performed a series of rapid arm abduction movements with their right arm while the activation of the TrA muscle was recorded using ultrasound imaging. Onset of arm abduction was measured using surface electromyography and synchronized with the ultrasound through the ultrasound unit's electrocardiogram channel. The mean time difference between the 2 events was calculated during post-hoc analysis.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS

A Mann-Whitney test was performed to test for differences in the onset performance of the TrA muscle between the 2 groups.

RESULTS

Results showed that the older group was significantly slower than the younger group in engaging their TrA in response to the rapid arm abduction (P = .036). A separate analysis of the older group data showed that no significant differences existed between the male and female participants that could potentially have acted as a confounding factor for the main finding (P = .126).

CONCLUSIONS

This study shows that older adults were slower than younger adults in activating their TrA muscle in response to rapid arm abduction. This delay has the potential to lead to increased occasions when the low back is unprotected, increasing the likelihood of injury or low back pain.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	45-50
Number of pages	6
Journal	PM & R: The Journal of Injury, Function and Rehabilitation
Volume	8
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmrj.2015.05.023
Publication status	Published - 10 Jun 2015

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10.1016/j.pmrj.2015.05.023

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title = "Observation of Age-Related Decline in the Performance of the Transverse Abdominis Muscle",

abstract = "BACKGROUNDPrevious research has shown that the performance of skeletal muscle declines with advancing age. Coordination of the transverse abdominis (TrA), a deep postural muscle, has been shown to be reduced in persons with low back pain. No previous research has studied the effect of age on the activation on this muscle.OBJECTIVETo assess the effect of age on TrA activation in response to rapid arm abduction.DESIGNCross-sectional cohort study.SETTINGUniversity exercise physiology laboratory.PARTICIPANTSA total of 18 adult men (aged 27 ± 7.0 years) for the younger group and 11 older adults (5 men and 6 women, aged 59.6 ± 4.0 years) were recruited for this study.METHODParticipants were positioned on a treatment table and performed a series of rapid arm abduction movements with their right arm while the activation of the TrA muscle was recorded using ultrasound imaging. Onset of arm abduction was measured using surface electromyography and synchronized with the ultrasound through the ultrasound unit's electrocardiogram channel. The mean time difference between the 2 events was calculated during post-hoc analysis.MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTSA Mann-Whitney test was performed to test for differences in the onset performance of the TrA muscle between the 2 groups.RESULTSResults showed that the older group was significantly slower than the younger group in engaging their TrA in response to the rapid arm abduction (P = .036). A separate analysis of the older group data showed that no significant differences existed between the male and female participants that could potentially have acted as a confounding factor for the main finding (P = .126).CONCLUSIONSThis study shows that older adults were slower than younger adults in activating their TrA muscle in response to rapid arm abduction. This delay has the potential to lead to increased occasions when the low back is unprotected, increasing the likelihood of injury or low back pain.",

author = "Paul Davies and Grace, {Fergal M} and Lewis, {Mark P} and Nicholas Sculthorpe",

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AU - Grace, Fergal M

AU - Lewis, Mark P

AU - Sculthorpe, Nicholas

PY - 2015/6/10

Y1 - 2015/6/10

N2 - BACKGROUNDPrevious research has shown that the performance of skeletal muscle declines with advancing age. Coordination of the transverse abdominis (TrA), a deep postural muscle, has been shown to be reduced in persons with low back pain. No previous research has studied the effect of age on the activation on this muscle.OBJECTIVETo assess the effect of age on TrA activation in response to rapid arm abduction.DESIGNCross-sectional cohort study.SETTINGUniversity exercise physiology laboratory.PARTICIPANTSA total of 18 adult men (aged 27 ± 7.0 years) for the younger group and 11 older adults (5 men and 6 women, aged 59.6 ± 4.0 years) were recruited for this study.METHODParticipants were positioned on a treatment table and performed a series of rapid arm abduction movements with their right arm while the activation of the TrA muscle was recorded using ultrasound imaging. Onset of arm abduction was measured using surface electromyography and synchronized with the ultrasound through the ultrasound unit's electrocardiogram channel. The mean time difference between the 2 events was calculated during post-hoc analysis.MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTSA Mann-Whitney test was performed to test for differences in the onset performance of the TrA muscle between the 2 groups.RESULTSResults showed that the older group was significantly slower than the younger group in engaging their TrA in response to the rapid arm abduction (P = .036). A separate analysis of the older group data showed that no significant differences existed between the male and female participants that could potentially have acted as a confounding factor for the main finding (P = .126).CONCLUSIONSThis study shows that older adults were slower than younger adults in activating their TrA muscle in response to rapid arm abduction. This delay has the potential to lead to increased occasions when the low back is unprotected, increasing the likelihood of injury or low back pain.

AB - BACKGROUNDPrevious research has shown that the performance of skeletal muscle declines with advancing age. Coordination of the transverse abdominis (TrA), a deep postural muscle, has been shown to be reduced in persons with low back pain. No previous research has studied the effect of age on the activation on this muscle.OBJECTIVETo assess the effect of age on TrA activation in response to rapid arm abduction.DESIGNCross-sectional cohort study.SETTINGUniversity exercise physiology laboratory.PARTICIPANTSA total of 18 adult men (aged 27 ± 7.0 years) for the younger group and 11 older adults (5 men and 6 women, aged 59.6 ± 4.0 years) were recruited for this study.METHODParticipants were positioned on a treatment table and performed a series of rapid arm abduction movements with their right arm while the activation of the TrA muscle was recorded using ultrasound imaging. Onset of arm abduction was measured using surface electromyography and synchronized with the ultrasound through the ultrasound unit's electrocardiogram channel. The mean time difference between the 2 events was calculated during post-hoc analysis.MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTSA Mann-Whitney test was performed to test for differences in the onset performance of the TrA muscle between the 2 groups.RESULTSResults showed that the older group was significantly slower than the younger group in engaging their TrA in response to the rapid arm abduction (P = .036). A separate analysis of the older group data showed that no significant differences existed between the male and female participants that could potentially have acted as a confounding factor for the main finding (P = .126).CONCLUSIONSThis study shows that older adults were slower than younger adults in activating their TrA muscle in response to rapid arm abduction. This delay has the potential to lead to increased occasions when the low back is unprotected, increasing the likelihood of injury or low back pain.

U2 - 10.1016/j.pmrj.2015.05.023

DO - 10.1016/j.pmrj.2015.05.023

M3 - Article

C2 - 26070806

SN - 1934-1482

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SP - 45

EP - 50

JO - PM & R: The Journal of Injury, Function and Rehabilitation

JF - PM & R: The Journal of Injury, Function and Rehabilitation

IS - 1

ER -

Observation of Age-Related Decline in the Performance of the Transverse Abdominis Muscle

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