AGE AND SEX-INFLUENCE ON THE ANTAGONIST/AGONIST PEAK TORQUE RATIO AND ELECTROMYGRAPHIC COACTIVATION OF ELBOW MUSCLES IN TYPICAL CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS

• Grant number: 24/15506-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 01, 2024
• End date: November 30, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy
• Principal Investigator: Ana Cláudia Mattiello-Sverzut
• Grantee: Giovanna Geraldo
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (FMRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Joint stability and efficiency of reciprocal movements depend on components such asantagonist/agonist force or peak torque (PT) ratio and antagonist coactivation. Studying thesevariables provides information that makes it possible to identify musculoskeletal changes.Although they have been investigated in adults, there needs to be more research into theupper limbs of typical children, considering the morphophysiological changes that occur duringdevelopment. The objective of this study is to investigate the influence of age and sex on PTand the antagonist/agonist ratio of the elbow flexors (FLC) and extensors (EXC), in addition toneuromuscular activation and coactivation in the biceps and triceps brachii muscles in typicalchildren. The data that will be analyzed in this project were collected in participants evaluatedin the subproject "Peripheral muscular fatigue of the upper limbs in typical children andadolescents and those with spina bifida," related to the Fapesp Thematic Project (2017/17596-4). Sixty typical children and adolescents recruited from schools in Ribeirão Preto (SP), agedbetween 7 and 17 years old, will participate in this study, distributed into four groupsaccording to age group and sex. The isokinetic assessment was performed on the preferredupper limb. Participants performed concentric contractions of FLC and EXC at a speed of120°.s-1. The data will be processed in a MatLab® software and variables are: mean PTnormalized by body weight (nPT) and antagonist/agonist PT ratio of the FLC and EXC muscles,as well as the electromyographic amplitude and antagonist coactivation of the biceps andtriceps brachii. Variables will be compared between groups by analysis of variance (ANOVA). Asignificance level of 5% will be considered in the analysis.