Clinical trial NCT04706169: Age-related Differences in Shoulder Dynamic and Isometric Contractions
Official title: Age-related Differences in Motor Recruitment Patterns of the Shoulder in Dynamic and Isometric Contractions. A Cross-sectional Study
Study type: OBSERVATIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Conditions: Electromyography
Keywords: Age groups
Shoulder muscles
Musculoskeletal diseases
Lead sponsor: University of Castilla-La Mancha
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: University of Alcala
First posted: 2021-01-12
Enrollment: 60
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 20
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Observational model: OTHER
Time perspective: CROSS_SECTIONAL
Sampling method: NON_PROBABILITY_SAMPLE
Study population: Participants came from Madrid and Castilla La Mancha (Spain) and voluntarily attended the Unit of the Research Group "Physical Therapy in Women´s Health Processes" in the Department of Physical Therapy, University of Alcalá, and the Ocaña Senior Center.

Brief summary: A cross-sectional descriptive study, in which the surface electromyographic activity of five shoulder muscles was compared in two populations: older adults and adults. The evaluation of the electromyographic data offers a suitable foundation to understand aging process.

This supports that surface electromyography provide information about the aged shoulder muscles. Loss of functionality is suffered by a high percentage of older adults, which greatly limits their physical activity. In this sense, this paper presents findings that might be related with possible therapeutic approaches in subsequent studies.

Detailed description: Aging processes in the musculoskeletal system lead to functional impairments that restrict participation. Purpose: To assess differences in force and motor recruitment patterns of shoulder muscles between age groups to understand functional disorders. A cross-sectional study comparing thirty adults (20-64) and 30 older adults (\>65). Surface-electromyography (sEMG) of the middle deltoid, upper and lower trapezius, infraspinatus and serratus anterior muscles was recorded. Maximum isometric voluntary contraction (MIVC) was determined at 45° glenohumeral abduction. For the sEMG signal registration, concentric and excentric contraction with and without 1 kg and isometric contraction were requested. Participants abducted the arm from 0° up to an abduction angle of 135° for concentric and excentric contraction; and from 0º to 45º and remained there at 80% of the MIVC level while isometrically pushing against a handheld dynamometer. Differences in sEMG amplitudes (root mean square, RMS) of all contractions, but also onset latencies during concentric contraction of each muscle between age groups were analyzed. Statistical differences in strength (Adults\>Older adults;0.05) existed between groups. No significant differences in RMS values of dynamic contractions were detected, except for serratus anterior, but there were for isometric contraction of all muscles analyzed (Adults\>Older adults;0.05). The recruitment order varied between age groups, showing a general tendency towards delayed onset times in Older Adults, except for the upper trapezius muscle. Age differences in muscle recruitment patterns were found, which underscores the importance of developing musculoskeletal data to prevent and guide geriatric shoulder pathologies.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Healthy subjects
* No previously manifested symptoms in the shoulder joint and/or the neck during the past year,

Exclusion Criteria:

* Moderate or severe cognitive impairment
* Rheumatologic diseases
* Massive osteoarthritis
* Tumors
* Shoulder joint instability
* Circulatory disorders (hemophilia clotting problems)
* Dermatological problems exacerbated by contact with skin.

Primary outcomes:
measure: The mean Root Mean Square (RMS) value
timeFrame: day 1
measure: onset muscle contraction
timeFrame: day 1
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Maximal isometric voluntary contraction
timeFrame: day 1
measure: body mass index
timeFrame: day 1
Other outcomes:
Locations:
Study officials:
affiliation: University of Castilla-La Mancha
name: Cristina Lirio-Romero, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Lirio-Romero C, Anders C, De La Villa-Polo P, Torres-Lacomba M. Implications on older women of age- and sex-related differences in activation patterns of shoulder muscles: A cross-sectional study. J Women Aging. 2019 Nov-Dec;31(6):492-512. doi: 10.1080/08952841.2018.1521654. Epub 2018 Sep 25.
citation: McManus L, De Vito G, Lowery MM. Analysis and Biophysics of Surface EMG for Physiotherapists and Kinesiologists: Toward a Common Language With Rehabilitation Engineers. Front Neurol. 2020 Oct 15;11:576729. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2020.576729. eCollection 2020.
citation: Medved V, Medved S, Kovac I. Critical Appraisal of Surface Electromyography (sEMG) as a Taught Subject and Clinical Tool in Medicine and Kinesiology. Front Neurol. 2020 Oct 26;11:560363. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2020.560363. eCollection 2020.