Loss of maximal explosive power of lower limbs after 2 weeks of disuse and incomplete recovery after retraining in older adults

This study investigates how muscle power in the legs changes in older and younger adults after a period of inactivity (bed rest) followed by physical training. The study found that inactivity decreased leg muscle power in both groups, but older adults didn't fully recover their muscle power even after physical training. This suggests that older adults may need more specialized rehabilitation to regain muscle power after periods of disuse compared to younger adults.

• 1
  Disuse significantly decreased maximal explosive power (MEP) in older adults but not significantly in young adults.
• 2
  Retraining increased MEP in both groups, but older adults did not fully recover to pre-disuse levels.
• 3
  Ankle co-contraction increased after bed rest in older adults only and remained elevated after retraining.