Effect of Daily Activity on Muscle Strength and on the Cross Sectional Areas of Thighs in Middle-aged and Elderly Men

This study was conducted to determine the standard data on muscle strength and the cross sectional areas of thighs of 18 healthy middle-aged and elderly men. Daily activity was calculated from the average number of steps a day during one week by a pedmeter, Muscle peak torques of knee extensors and flexsors were examined with an isokinetic dynamometer, and muscle cross sectional areas of mid-thighs were evaluated with a computed tomography. The mean peak torques of knee extensors and flexsors were 14.1±2.8kg·m, 7.6±1.5kg·m in the men whose daily average amount of walking was more than 4×1, 000 and less than 8×1, 000. The cross sectional area of the former and the latter were 56.3±6.4cm2, 30.4±5.9cm2. It was postulated that daily activity of more than 4×1, 000 might be needed to prevent disuse atrophy in healthy middle-aged and elderly men.