Volunteers in Muscle Function Studies Will be Guests of Honor at UMass Amherst Open House
Feb. 19, 2009
| Contact: | Janet Lathrop 413/545-0444 |
AMHERST, Mass. – To salute more than 100 local volunteers from 18 to 80 years who have participated in muscle function studies, the Muscle Physiology Lab in the kinesiology department at the University of Massachusetts Amherst will hold an Open House on Tuesday, Feb. 24, from 4 to 6 p.m. in Room 22 of the Totman Building. The public is invited to the event on Eastman Lane and refreshments will be served.
Kinesiology faculty members and graduate students will discuss research findings with volunteers and visitors at posters and demonstrations. Lead investigator Jane Kent-Braun and colleagues recently received a four-year grant from the National Institute on Aging to continue their studies of muscle function that began at UMass Amherst in 2002. Using non-invasive tests, they compare key physiology variables that gauge muscle function in groups of young runners, sedentary young people, older runners ages 65 to 80, sedentary older people and older people with early signs of mobility difficulty.
Kent-Braun says, “Our volunteers are fantastic. We’re very grateful for their dedication. They spend many hours undergoing muscle testing in the Muscle Physiology Lab, which can involve up to five visits depending on the study. They also give up a Sunday to travel to Yale University in New Haven, where we use the magnetic resonance spectrometer.”
Among their interesting findings to date is evidence that activity level is more important than age in muscle fitness, Kent-Braun says. That is, the intensity of effort seems to be an important key to maintaining strength and agility, regardless of age. People who push themselves to take the stairs more often, walk a little faster or run for the bus occasionally are doing more to keep their muscles in good shape, compared to those who never challenge themselves. “Our studies suggest that adding intensity to daily physical activity may be a major factor in maintaining mobility function,” Kent-Braun says.
While it’s true that muscles lose some mass with age, an older person’s muscles may use energy more economically, the researchers have found. Also, Kent-Braun stresses, it’s never too late to improve muscle function and even people in their 90s can gain strength and mobility. This will allow them to stay physically and socially active and live independently for longer. “The take-home message is ‘Keep Moving’,” she adds.
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