Plyometric exercise improves jumping performance and skeletal muscle contractile properties in seniors

This study investigated the effects of an 8-week plyometric training (PT) session on countermovement jump (CMJ) height, take-off velocity, and Tensiomyography (TMG) derived contractile parameters in seniors. Twenty-three senior adults (age 66.7±5.2 years) were randomly divided into two groups: PLYO (n=11) and CTRL (n=12). Tensiomyography was measured in vastus lateralis (VL), biceps femoris (BF), tibialis anterior (TA), gastrocnemius medialis (GM), and lateralis (GL). Additionally, the electromechanical efficiency (EME) index was calculated in GM as a ratio between amplitudes of peak-to-peak M-wave and TMG (Dm) responses. Biochemical markers of muscle damage and inflammation were evaluated to provide indirect indices of exercise protocol safety. The main effect of time (for take-off velocity p=.023; ɳ = .236) and group x time interactions (for CMJ, Tc (BF, GM), Dm (BF) and EME p