Peak Leg Muscle Power, Peak VO2 and Its Correlates with Physical Activity in 57 to 70-year-old Women

The two aims of this study were first to measure short-term muscle power (STMP) by means of a cycling force-velocity test (cycling peak power: CPP) and a vertical jump test (jumping peak performance: JPP) and second, to examine the relationships between physical activity (PA) level, peak oxygen uptake (peak VO2) and STMP in healthy elderly women. Twenty-three independent community-dwelling elderly women (mean age: 64+/-4.4) performed on separate days, a peak oxygen uptake test on cycle ergometer, a cycling force-velocity test and a vertical jump test. A questionnaire (QUANTAP) was used to assess lifespan exercise habits. Four indices expressed in kJ day(-1) kg(-1) were calculated. Two indices represented average past PA level: 1/quantity of habitual physical activity (QHPA), 2/quantity of sports activities (QSA). Two indices represented the actual PA level: 3/actual quantity of habitual physical activity (AQHPA), 4/actual quantity of sports activities (AQSA). CPP (6.3+/-1.2 W kg(-1)) was closely correlated to JPP (14.8+/-3.4 cm) (r=0.80, P<0.001). AQHPA and AQSA were only positively associated with peak VO2 (ml min(-1) kg(-1)) (r=0.49; r=0.50, P<0.05, respectively). Past PA level was not related to fitness measurements. Results show that in this population: (1) jumping peak performance was closely related to CPP measured in the laboratory; (2) the cardio-respiratory fitness was related to the actual habitual physical activity level; (3) only age and anthropometric variables explained the actual performances in multivariate analysis.