Exercise economy in African American and European American women

• Published in: European journal of applied physiology Vol. 111; no. 8; pp. 1863 - 1869
• Main Authors: Hunter, Gary R., McCarthy, John P., Bamman, Marcas M., Larson-Meyer, D. Enette, Fisher, Gordon, Newcomer, Bradley R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01.08.2011; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Achilles Tendon - metabolism; Achilles Tendon - physiology; Adult; African Americans; Biological and medical sciences; Biomechanics; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Cultural differences; Elasticity - physiology; Energy; Energy Metabolism - physiology; European Continental Ancestry Group; Exercise - physiology; Exercise Tolerance - physiology; Female; Foot - physiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Human Physiology; Humans; Isometric Contraction - physiology; Kinases; Metabolism; Muscle, Skeletal - metabolism; Muscle, Skeletal - physiology; Nutrition research; Occupational Medicine/Industrial Medicine; Original Article; Range of Motion, Articular - physiology; Spectrum analysis; Sports Medicine; Tendons; Vertebrates: body movement. Posture. Locomotion. Flight. Swimming. Physical exercise. Rest. Sports; Walking; Walking - physiology; Women; United States > US; Magnetic resonance spectroscopy; Exercise; Oxygen uptake; Elastic energy; Physical exercise; Human; Magnetic resonance; Oxygen consumption; Female; African American
• ISSN: 1439-6319; 1439-6327
• DOI: 10.1007/s00421-010-1816-9

We have previously shown that Achilles tendon length is related to walking economy on the flat, presumably because of increased stretch–shortening cycle elastic energy savings. In addition, greater walking economy in African American (AA) women compared to European American (EA) women is explained by longer Achilles tendons in AA women. The purposes of this study were to determine whether economy while walking up a grade and during isometric plantar flexion, two tasks expected to produce proportionately less energy savings from elastic savings are different between AA and EA women. We evaluated walking economy at 4.8 km/h at 0 and 2.5% grade in 48 AA and 48 EA premenopausal women. Plantar flexor muscle metabolic economy (force/ATP) was also evaluated using 31 phosphate magnetic resonance spectroscopy ( 31 P-MRS). AA women walked on the flat more economically (net VO 2 , AA 8.3 and EA 8.9 ml kg −1  min −1 , P  = 0.04). No significant ethnic differences were observed while walking up a 2.5% grade or in 31 P-MRS determined plantar flexor muscle metabolic economy. These data support our previous study’s suggestion that AA women are more economical while walking on the flat. On the other hand, in activities in which stretch–shortening cycle elastic energy savings would be expected to be reduced (grade walking and isometric force production), no differences in economy during grade walking or isometric force production were observed suggesting that biomechanical, i.e. stretch–shortening cycle elastic energy savings differences rather biochemical differences contribute to the better flat walking economy observed in AA women.