Project R-16073

Acute and long-term effects of power training at different predetermined fatigue levels in community-dwelling older adults (Research)

The global increase in the older population has made the promotion of healthy ageing a worldwide priority. According to the World Health Organization, healthy ageing centers around the concept of functional ability, which relies on the maintenance of an individual's intrinsic capacity. Developing effective strategies to maintain a high level of functioning in older adults are paramount. An important predictor of age-related deterioration in physical ability, is reduced lower-limb muscle power. To combat declines in muscle power, current evidence suggests resistance exercise as the primary therapeutic strategy. Recent guidelines state that a properly designed resistance exercise program in older adults should include explosive resistance exercises (known as power exercises). However, very limited data exist on the proper exercise dose to optimize gains in muscle power. Generally, the recommendations are to avoid performing repetitions to failure, so that undesirable velocity loss and fatigue are prevented. However, no study has investigated the acute and long-term effects of different predetermined fatigue levels, monitored as standardized intra-set velocity loss thresholds (VLTs), in power training for older adults. The extent to which fatigue is induced by different VLTs and how this affects recovery time, remains to be investigated in older adults. Initial decrements in performance markers could temporarily compromise the ability to perform functional tasks and increase the risk of falling post-exercise. In addition, markers of exercise-induced muscle damage and perceived feelings of fatigue and muscle soreness should be considered if the goal is to define the appropriateness of training stimuli for untrained older adults. An important aspect to bear in mind, is that potential sex differences in fatigability exist in young adults, indicating that the induced fatigue and the optimal exercise dose might differ between sexes. Therefore, this project will investigate (1) the acute mechanical, neuromuscular, physiological and perceptual responses and (2) the long-term effects of power training at different velocity loss thresholds in older males and females. The outcomes of this project will unravel the dose-response relationship for different 'doses' of exercise, allowing to move towards more optimized exercise regimens to combat age-related declines in lower-limb muscle power.

16 September 2025 - 15 September 2029