Introduction: We compared the region-specific neuromuscular activation and muscle morphology along the rectus femoris (RF) muscle between young and elderly.
Methods: Ratios of surface electromyography amplitude between hip flexion and knee extension (HF/KE) were compared among regions along the muscle for 9 young and 9 elderly men. Muscle thickness was also compared among the regions.
Results: HF/KE in the proximal region was significantly greater than in the middle and distal regions for both the young and elderly (P < 0.05). However, a significant difference in HF/KE between the middle and distal regions was found in the young (P < 0.05), but not in the elderly (P > 0.05). A difference in the region-specific muscle thickness was observed between the young and elderly.
Conclusion: These findings suggest that functional role and muscle morphology are regionally affected by aging along the RF muscle. Muscle Nerve 56: 982-986, 2017.
Keywords: bi-articular muscles; elderly; multichannel surface electromyography; muscle thickness; neuromuscular compartment; ultrasonography.
© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.