Rise and Fall of Physical Capacity in a General Population: A 47-Year Longitudinal Study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

As we age, there is a progressive decline in skeletal muscle tissue and function that can become clinically significant in the sixth decade of life affecting independent living and health. Longitudinal observations in elite athletes show that peak physical performance is reached before the age of about 35 years despite continuous training, suggesting that the tissue processes underlying muscle dysfunction may begin decades before they become clinically relevant. To answer the question of whether the pattern of performance decline in athletes also applies to the general population, a population-based longitudinal study is needed.

Methods

In the Swedish population cohort (SPAF), 427 individuals (48% women) born in 1958 underwent repeated objective assessments of phy

SUBMITTER: Westerstahl M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12620399 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature