Effects of Eccentric Training Intervention in Older Adults

An examiner used a stopwatch to time how long it took subjects to walk along a marked tape. The Kinect device was used to measure gait speed.

Subjects were measured on eight 17-cm stairs twice, requiring a step by step pattern, where the timer activated when the first contact was made at the first step and ended when the contact occurred at the last step before and after the 8 weeks of exercise training.

Subjects had to get up from a chair measuring 41 cm in height with a flat seat. Subjects were asked to stand up and sit down 5 times as quickly as possible with their arms folded across the chest. They stood up until full extension was observed at the trunk and lower limb joints, and returned to a seated position with their back fully supported at the back of the chair.

The isokinetic was measured using a baltimore therapeutic equipment (BTE) Primus RS (BTE Tech., Hanover, MD, USA). The subject performed a 60 degree per second knee flexion and extension five times. Each isokinetic contraction was performed through a full range of motion.Before each subject began the isokinetic test, the subject warmed up using a 50-60% knee extension/flexion once. Isokinetic knee strength is measured in as peak torque achieved on an isokinetic dynamometer (BTE PrimusRS, BTE tech, MD, USA) at 60 degree per second.

Isometric knee strength was measured using a baltimore therapeutic equipment (BTE) Primus RS (BTE Tech., Hanover, MD, USA). The subject was asked to sit on the treatment chair and a standard stabilization strap was placed on the upper ankle. The knee was kept at 90 degree flexion, and the foot was positioned in dorsi flexion. The subject's hands were placed on the edge of the side of the chair and the trunk, hips, and mid-thigh were stabilized in the chair by the straps.

The test used same machine as the isometric and isokinetic tests. The ankle was placed in a neutral position, and the subjects performed a range of motion for 10 seconds, once. After the warm up, knee extension and flexion were performed as quickly as possible during a period of 10 seconds. Isokinetic knee strength is measured in as peak torque achieved on an isokinetic dynamometer (BTE PrimusRS, BTE tech, MD, USA) at 60 degree per second.