RATE OF FORCE DEVELOPMENT AND NEURAL DRIVE IN POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN

Introduction: Aging is associated with a reduction in the speed of contraction and activation of muscle fibers, influencing physical fitness and functional performance. Objective: To verify the rate of force development (RFD) and neural activation in postmenopausal women. Methods: Twenty-four postmenopausal women (63.2±5.6 years; 154.5±7.3 cm and 64.7±7.6 kg) functionally independent and physically active were submitted simultaneously to the measurement of maximal isometric force and electromyographic signals (EMG) of the following muscles: vastus lateralis (VL), rectus femoris (RF), and vastus medialis (VM) for a unilateral extension of the knee of the dominant limb. These results were used to calculate the RFD, the contractile impulse in 20-ms intervals during the first 200ms of the muscle contraction by the force/time curve, the EMG activation rate (EAR), and the mean EMG amplitude, at intervals of 40 to 80ms from the start of the EMG integration by using the EMG/time curve. Results: The force values ranged from 29.19 to 86.04Nm; the RFD varied from 1459.42 to 430.21N.m.s-1 in 20ms and 200ms, respectively, indicating decreasing values with time; for the impulse values were observed between 0.65 and 11.07Nms; in the same direction of RFD, the EAR showed decreasing values for the VL (1676.08 to 844.41µVs-1), for the RF (1320.88 to 637.59µVs-1), and the VM (1747.63 to 914.09µVs-1) at 20 and 200ms, while the mean EMG amplitude had values of 33.77 to 50.32µV for the VL, 24.93 to 38.07µV for RF, and 37.07 to 54.78µV for the VM in 40ms and 80ms, respectively. Conclusion: In postmenopausal women, the increase rate, the maintenance of force, and the EMG activation are not sufficient to maintain the increase of RFD and EAR, demonstrating a potential risk of functional disabilities and falls.