Int J Sports Med 2007; 28(11): 958-963
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-964984
Training & Testing

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Fatigue Differences between Adults and Prepubertal Males

I. Paraschos1 , A. Hassani1 , E. Bassa1 , K. Hatzikotoulas1 , D. Patikas2 , C. Kotzamanidis1
  • 1Physical Education and Sports Sciences, Aristotle University, Thessaloniki, Greece
  • 2Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
Further Information

Publication History

accepted after revision November 2, 2006

Publication Date:
11 May 2007 (online)

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the differences in neuromuscular activation of agonist and antagonist muscles between men and prepubertal boys during a maximal isokinetic fatigue test. Ten prepubertal boys (mean ± SD age: 10.5 ± 0.6 years) and fourteen adults (age: 24.3 ± 2.5 years) executed 25 consecutive maximal isokinetic knee extensions at 60 deg · s-1. Peak torque and the electromyogram (EMG) of the vastus lateralis, vastus medialis and biceps femoris muscles were recorded. During the fatigue protocol, the prepubertal boys were able to produce higher torque than the adults, when expressed as percent of their maximal value, indicating that adults were more fatigable. The agonist activity, especially for the vastus lateralis muscle, increased in both groups during the first 10 knee extensions, and then decreased more in adults. The antagonist activity of biceps femoris muscle in adults remained constant throughout the fatigue task, whereas the children showed, on average, an increased biceps femoris antagonistic activation, especially during the first 10 and last 5 knee extensions. These results suggest that adults are more fatigable than children during a maximal isokinetic fatigue protocol, probably due to an increased inhibition or reduced facilitation of their agonist drive.

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Prof., Ass. Professor Christos Kotzamanidis

Aristotle University
Physical Education and Sports Sciences

54006 Thessaloniki

Greece

Phone: + 30 23 10 99 22 21

Fax: + 30 23 10 99 22 21

Email: kotzaman@phed.auth.gr

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