Athlete aging study - ATHLAS | Ģ��ֱ��

Athlete aging study - ATHLAS

Athlete model approach to understand the benefits of different types of regular exercise on functional capacity and musculoskeletal health in old age.

Master athletes participating in ATHLAS

Project duration

25.1.2002 - 31.12.2028

Core fields of research

Physical activity, health and wellbeing

Research areas

Active aging

Faculty

Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences

Funding

Juho Vainio Foundation

Ministry of Education and Culture

Research Council of Finland

The Finnish Cultural Foundation

Päivikki and Sakari Sohlberg Foundation Yrjö Jahnsson Foundation Alfred Kordelin Foundation

Project description

Background

Exercise can maintain performance in various organ systems and promote functional capacity and independent life during the whole life-span. However, scientific evidence of the benefits of various types of exercise remains scanty. This study examines the association of life-long vs. youth-time strength, speed and endurance training with later life functional capacity. The study utilizes longitudinal and cross-sectional data of active and former athletes and untrained men of various ages. The data includes multiple determinants of functional capacity, especially physical activity, mobility, and musculoskeletal functions. The project enables a comprehensive evaluation of the advantages and disadvantages of exercise. This has considerable importance to exercise recommendations and promoting functional capacity among the ageing population.

Current status

ATHLAS started in 2002-2003, with a 10-year follow-up in the year 2012. Since then the results of this study have been published in more than 30 articles in peer-reviewed international journals, and more data still needs to be analysed. For the very near future a 23-year follow up is planned, which will be unique and extremely valuble for studying the influence of lifelong exercise up to very late in life.

Messa GAM, Korhonen MT*, Degens H*. No ageing-related increase in fibre type grouping in sprint-trained masters runners: a 10-year follow-up study. Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle, 2024, DOI: . *shared last authorship
Hutz B, Degens H, Korhonen MT. Oldies, but goldies - preserved morphology and stability of antigenic determinants in decades-old cryosections of human m. vastus lateralis. Journal of Anatomy,
Walker S, von Bonsdorff M, Cheng S, Häkkinen K, Bondarev D, Heinonen A and Korhonen MT. Body composition in male lifelong trained strength, sprint and endurance athletes and healthy age-matched controls. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 2023; 5:1295906,
Kontro T, Bondarev D, Pyykönen K-M, von Bonsdorff M, Laakso L, Suominen H, Korhonen MT. Motives for competitive sports participation in masters track and field athletes: Impact of sociodemographic factors and competitive background. PLoS One, 2022 Nov 2;17(11):e0275900,
Korhonen MT, Kujala U, Kettunen J, Korhonen O, Kaprio J, Sarna S, Törmäkangas T. Longitudinal associations of high-volume and vigorous-intensity exercise with hip fracture risk in men. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research 2022; 37(8), 1562–1570,
Ireland A, Mittag U, Degend H, Felsenberg D, Heinonen Am Koltai E, Korhonen MTm McPhee J, Mekjavic I, Pisot R, Rawer R, Radac Z, Simunic Bm Suominen H, Rittweger J. Age-Related Declines in Lower Limb Muscle Function are Similar in Power and Endurance Athletes of Both Sexes: A Longitudinal Study of Master Athletes. Calcified Tissue International, 2022; 110(2): 196–203, DOI:
Suominen TH, Alén M, Törmakangas T, Degens H, Rittweger J, Heinonen A, Suominen H, Korhonen MT. Regular Strength and Sprint Training Counteracts Bone Aging: A 10‐Year Follow‐Up in Male Masters Athletes. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research Plus, 2021 May 24;5(7):e10513, DOI: .
Hentilä J, Hulmi JJ, Laakkonen E, Ahtiainen J, Suominen H, Korhonen MT. Sprint and Strength Training Modulates Autophagy and Proteostasis in Aging Sprinters. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2020;52 (9), 1948-1959.
Messa GAM, Piasecki M, Rittweger J, McPhee J, Koltai E, Radak Z, Suominen H, Heinonen A, Korhonen MT, Degens H. Absence of an ageing-related increase in fibre type grouping in athletes and non-athletes.Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, 2020, 30(11), 2057-2069, DOI: .
Ireland A, Mittag U, Degens H, Felsenberg D, Ferretti JL, Gilliver S, Heinonen A, Koltai E, Korhonen MT, Wilks DC, McPhee J, Mekjavic I, Piasecki J, Pisot R, Radak Z, Simunic B, Suominen H, Winwood K, Rittweger J. Greater maintenance of bone mineral content in male than female athletes and in sprinting and jumping than endurance athletes: a longitudinal study of bone strength in elite masters athletes. Archives of Osteoporosis, 2020, 15(1):87, DOI: .
Kulmala J-P, Korhonen MT, Ruggiero L, Kuitunen S, Suominen H, Heinonen A Mikkola A, Avela J. Ankle and knee extensor muscle effort during locomotion in young and older athletes: Implications for understanding age-related locomotor decline. Scientific Reports, 2020, 10: 2801, DOI: .
Bagley L, McPhee JS, Ganse B, Müller K, Korhonen MT, Rittweger J, Degens H. Similar relative decline in aerobic and anaerobic power with age in endurance and power master athletes of both sexes. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports 2019, 29 (6): 791-799, DOI: .
Suominen T, Korhonen MT, Alén M, Heinonen A, Mero A, Törmäkangas T, Suominen H. Effects of a 20-week high-intensity strength and sprint training program on tibial bone structure and strength in middle-aged and older male sprint athletes: a randomized controlled trial. Osteoporosis International, 2019, 28(9): 2663-2673, DOI: .
Kangas R, Törmäkangas T, Heinonen A, Alen M, Suominen H, Laakkonen E, Kovanen V, Korhonen MT. Declining physical performance associates with serum FasL, miR-21 and miR-146a in aging athletes. BioMed Research International 2017:8468469, DOI: .
Kulmala J-P, Korhonen MT, Ruggiero L, Kuitunen S, Suominen H, Heinonen A, Mikkola A, Avela J. Walking and running require greater effort from ankle than knee extensor muscles. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 2016 Nov;48(11):2181-2189, DOI: .
Kulmala J-P, Korhonen MT, Kuitunen S, Suominen H, Heinonen A, Mikkola A, Avela J. Whole body frontal plane mechanics across walking, running, and sprinting in young and older adults. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports 2017 Sep;27(9):956-963, DOI: .
Cheng S, Degens H, Evans M, Cheng S, Selänne H, Rittweger J, Heinonen A, Suominen H, Strandberg T, Alen M, Korhonen MT. What makes a 97 -year-old man cycle 5,000 km a year? Gerontology 2016; 62: 508-512, DOI: .
Drey D, Sieber C C, Degens H, McPhee J, Korhonen MT, Müller K, Ganse B, Rittweger J. Relation between muscle mass, motor units and type of training in master athletes. Clinical Physiology and Functional Imaging2016; 36: 70-76, DOI: .
Kulmala J-P, Korhonen MT, Kuitunen S, Suominen H, Heinonen A, Mikkola A. Avela J. Which muscles compromise locomotor performance with age? Journal of the Royal Society Interface 2014; 11: 20140858, DOI: .
Rantalainen T, Suominen H, Duckham R, Alen M, Heinonen A, Korhonen MT. Tibial and fibular mid-shaft bone traits in young and older sprinters and non-athletic men. Calcified Tissue International 2014; 95(2): 132-140, DOI: .
Ganse B, Degens H, Drey M, Korhonen MT, McPhee J, Müller K, Johannes B, Rittweger J. Impact of age, performance and athletic event on injury rates in master athletics – First results from an ongoing prospective study. Journal of Musculoskeletal and Neuronal Interaction 2014; 14(2): 148-154 .
Degens H, Rittweger J, Parviainen T, Timonen K, Suominen H, Heinonen A, Korhonen MT. Diffusion capacity of the lung in young and old endurance athletes. International Journal of Sport Medicine 2013; 34: 1051-1057, DOI: .
Degens H, Maden-Wilkinson T M, Ireland A, Korhonen MT, Suominen H, Heinonen A, Radak Z, McPhee JS, Rittweger J. Relationship between ventilatory function and age in master athletes a sedentary reference population. Age 2013; 35: 1007-1015, DOI: .
Korhonen MT, Heinonen A, Siekkinen J, Isolehto J, Alén M, Kiviranta I, Suominen H. Bone density, structure and strength and their determinants in aging sprint athletes. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise2012; 44(12): 2340-2349, DOI: .
Degens H, Korhonen MT. Factors contributing to the variability in muscle aging. Maturitas 2012; 73: 197-201, DOI: .
Ireland A, Korhonen M, Heinonen A, Suominen H, Baur C, Stevens S, Degens H, Rittweger J. Side-to-side differences in bone strength in master jumpers and sprinters. Journal of Musculoskeletal and Neuronal Interaction 2011; 11(4): 298-305 .
Korhonen MT, Suominen H, Viitasalo J T, Liikavainio T, Alen M, Mero A. Variability and symmetry of biomechanical parameters in sprint running in young and older athletes. Journal of Applied Biomechanics2010; 26: 357-366, DOI: .
Korhonen MT, Mero A, Alen M, Sipilä S, Häkkinen K, Liikavainio T, Viitasalo J T, Haverinen M, Suominen H. Biomechanical and skeletal muscle determinants of maximum running speed with aging. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 2009; 41(4): 844-856, DOI: .
Cristea A* Korhonen MT*, Häkkinen K, Mero A, Alen M, Sipilä S, Viitasalo J T, M. Koljonen, H. Suominen, L. Larsson. Effects of combined strength and sprint training on regulation of muscle contraction at the whole muscle and single fiber levels in elite master sprinters. Acta Physiologica 2008; 193: 275-289, DOI: . *shared first authorship
Korhonen MT, Cristea A, Alen M, Häkkinen K, Sipilä S, Mero A, Viitasalo J T, Larsson L, Suominen H. Aging, muscle fiber type and contractile function in sprint-trained athletes. Journal of Applied Physiology 2006; 101: 906-917, DOI: .
Korhonen MT, Suominen H, Mero A. Age and sex differences in blood lactate response to sprint running in elite master runners. Canadian Journal of Applied Physiology 2005; 30(6): 647-665, DOI: .
Korhonen MT, Mero A, Suominen H. Age-related differences in 100-m sprint performance in male and female master runners. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 2003; 35(8): 1419-1428, DOI: .

Research Impact

(coming soon)

Measurements & data collection

Thanks to the brilliant infrastructure of the Faculty of Sport and Health Science, we are able to complete the whole project inside our faculty. This rare accessibility of multidisciplinary expertise is very beneficial for a smooth and reliable execution of each step inside this huge and long lasting project.

Project team

Project leaders

Marko Korhonen

Senior Lecturer

Project members

External members

Hans Degens

Professor

Urho Kujala

Professor emeritus

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Lars Larsson

Professor

Jaako Kaprio

Research Director

Jörn Rittweger

Professor

Dmitriy Bondarev

Postdoctoral Researcher

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