Effects of Age and Sex on the Electromyographic Reaction Time of Tibialis Anterior Muscle Contraction

Objective Compared to elderly men, elderly women have substantially reduced performance of postural balance and greater risk of falls. To investigate the effect of age and sex on electromyographic (EMG) reaction time of tibialis anterior muscle contraction. Method Fifty-nine elderly subjects and 29 young subjects participated in this study. Subjects were instructed to dorsiflex the ankle of the dominant leg as forcefully and quickly as possible in response to audible beeps. EMG activity was recorded over the tibialis anterior muscle and delays in initiation and termination of EMG signal were measured by two examiners. Mean and intrasubject variability of each delay were used as outcome measures. Results Both the intra-examiner and inter-examiner reliability of delay variables were above 0.97. Delays in initiation and termination of muscle contraction, as well as their intrasubject variability, were significantly greater in the elderly (p<0.01). However, there were no sex differences or interaction in all outcome measures. Conclusion These results demonstrate that the EMG reaction time and their variability increase in the elderly population with no sex difference.