Muscle architecture changes in healthy older adult men: Effects of twelve weeks of football vs. aerobic training

Physical training can enhance muscle structure and function, thereby mitigating the adverse effects of biological aging. Football, characterized as an intense, intermittent, and multidirectional sport, has been shown to improve physical performance in older adults, with effects comparable to those of aerobic training. However, there is limited research directly comparing their specific impacts on muscle architecture. This randomized controlled trial investigated the effects of football versus aerobic training on the pennation angle, muscle thickness, and fascicle length of the vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, and rectus femoris muscles. Specifically, the study examined whether football training elicits distinct adaptations in power, total work, peak torque, aerobic endurance, and patellar tendon thickness and length compared to conventional aerobic exercise. Over 24 sessions, participants in the football group (n = 28, mean age 55) engaged in 30 min of small- and large-sided game exercises per session, while those in the aerobic group (n = 28, mean age 54) performed 30 min of continuous aerobic exercises. Significant time effects were observed within both groups (p < 0.05), with comparable increases in muscle architecture (ηp² = 0.07–0.12, indicating moderate to large effects). No significant group*time interaction effects were found for the vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, or rectus femoris muscles. Both groups significantly improved in pennation angle, muscle thickness, and fascicle length over time. Post-intervention, no significant differences appeared between groups in power, total work, peak torque, aerobic endurance, or patellar tendon properties. Despite differing movement and agility demands, football and aerobic training effectively enhanced muscle architecture in healthy, untrained older adults.