Perfil fuerza-velocidad a través del sit-to-stand: una nueva herramienta para la evaluación de la potencia muscular y su relación con parámetros arquitectónicos y capacidad funcional en la población adulta

Abstract

Today, sedentary behavior and lifestyle have emerged as global health problems, being associated with a decrease in functional capacity and overall health. Aging and a sedentary lifestyle contribute to the loss of muscle mass and a decrease in muscle strength, speed, and power. These changes in muscular health are linked to a higher risk of comorbidities, mortality, and an increase in public health expenditure. Evaluating muscle mass and muscle architecture is crucial to understand and quantify the muscular changes associated with aging and a sedentary lifestyle. Various studies have employed methods like B-mode ultrasound to estimate muscle mass and assess muscle architecture in different muscle groups. The primary objective of this doctoral thesis was to determine the relationship between the force-velocity profile, functional capacity, and the architectural parameters of muscles in the adult population. This goal was pursued through a systematic review (study 1), three descriptive studies (studies 2, 3, and 4), and a clinical trial (study 5). In the second study, the variation in measuring the thickness of the vastus lateralis (VL) muscle using an ultrasound probe in longitudinal or transversal positions was determined with the participation of sixty sedentary subjects. In the third study, the association between muscle architectural parameters and the Muscle Quality Index (MQI) was investigated. This study evaluated sixty participants with characteristics similar to those in study 2. In the fourth study, the effects of Sit-to-Stand (STS) training programs with 5 and 10 repetitions on muscle architecture and muscle function in sedentary adults were compared. Fifty-eight participants were recruited and divided into three groups: 5STS, 10STS, and a control group (CG). In the fifth study, the relationship between variables derived from the loadvelocity profile and muscle architecture parameters was evaluated using the STS test and a functional electromechanical dynamometer with incremental loads. This study included the participation of twenty-eight individuals of both genders. The insights gained through these studies will contribute to a better understanding of the relationship between functional capacity, muscle architecture, and muscle quality in different populations. Furthermore, the results may have implications for designing more effective exercise programs and improving muscle health across various age groups and levels of physical activity.