HABITUAL PHYSICAL-ACTIVITY AND PEAK ANAEROBIC POWER IN ELDERLY WOMEN

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between maxi mal anaerobic power (P-max) and corresponding optimal velocity (V-opt) and habitual physical activity (PA) on the one hand and with maximal oxygen consumption ((V) over dot(2max)) on the other hand, in elderly women. Twenty-nine community dwelling, healthy women aged 66-82 years participated in the study. PA was evaluated using the Questionnaire d' Activite Physique Saint-Etienne (QAPSE) and expressed using two QAPSE activity indices: mean habitual daily energy expenditure (MHDEE) and d aily energy expenditure corresponding to leisure time sports activitie s (sports activity). The subjects' P-max and V-opt were measured while they cycled on a friction-loaded non-isokinetic cycle ergometer. P-ma x was expressed relative to body mass [P-max/kg(W . kg(-1))], and rela tive to the mass of two quadriceps muscles [P-max/Quadr(W . kp(Quadr)( -1))]. A negative relationship between P-max/kg (Spearman's r -0.56; P < 0.01), P-max/Quadr (r = -0.53; P < 0.01) and V-opt (r = -0.45; P < 0.05) and age was found. P-max/kg was positively associated with MHDEE (r = 0.51; P < 0.01) and sports activity (r = 0.58; P < 0.01), as wer e P-max/Quadr and V-opt (r = 0.55; P < 0.01 and r = 0.54; P < 0.01, re spectively). P-max/kg, P-max/Quadr and V-opt correlated positively wit h (V) over dotO(2max). The positive relationship between ergometer mea surements and PA indices was similar to that between (V) over dotO(2ma x) and PA. P-max/kg was, moreover, closely related to V-opt (r = 0.77; P < 0.001). When a multiple stepwise regression analysis was used to select the variables influencing ergometer measurements, MHDEE contrib uted significantly to P-max/kg variance, whereas sports activity contr ibuted to P-max/Quadr and V-opt variances. In conclusion, the data fro m this cross-sectional study suggest that in healthy elderly women hab itual PA, and especially leisure time PA, alleviates the decline of th e P-max of the quadriceps muscles.