Age-associated differences in triceps surae muscle composition and strength – an MRI-based cross-sectional comparison of contractile, adipose and connective tissue

Table 1 Triceps Surae muscle volumes, force and specific force in young and older cohort

	Young (n = 5)	Older (n = 5)	p value	Effect size r
GM Vol (cm³)	157.3 ± 32.2	121.2 ± 21.3	0.070	0.67
GL Vol (cm³)	74.6 ± 14.4	66.0 ± 9.1	0.293	0.37
SOL Vol (cm³)	307.8 ± 19.4	265.4 ± 47.2	0.119	0.55
TS Vol (cm³)	539.6 ± 63.9	452.6 ± 67.9	0.070	0.59
GM PCSA (cm²⁾	26.4 ± 5.0	31.9 ± 6.7	0.180	0.42
GL PCSA (cm²)	15.4 ± 2.2	17.0 ± 6.9	0.641	0.15
SOL PCSA (cm²)	57.4 ± 20.6	62.3 ± 17.7	0.702	0.13
TS PCSA (cm²)	106.0 ± 15.4	122.2 ± 32.1	0.451	0.31
Tendon Force (N)	1 426.3 ± 595.1	964.6 ± 319.3	0.165	0.48
Spec Force 1 (N/cm²)	14.74 ± 6.71	9.61 ± 5.35	0.218	0.39
Spec Force 2 (N/cm²)	17.88 ± 7.85	13.27 ± 7.56	0.372	0.29

GM: Gastrocnemius Medialis, GL: Gastrocnemius Lateralis, SOL: Soleus muscle, TS: Triceps Surae, PCSA: Physiological cross-sectional area. Spec Force 1: Specific Force as the fraction of force and PCSA as calculated from the total Triceps Surae volume. Spec Force 2: Specific Force as the fraction of force and PCSA as calculated from Triceps Surae volume after subtraction of intramuscular fat and connective tissues. Data are presented as means ± SD.

ISSN: 1471-2474