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Effects of Exercise Training on Muscle Quality in Older Individuals: A Systematic Scoping Review with Meta-Analyses
Tibor Hortobágyi1,2,3,4,5, Tomas Vetrovsky6, Jennifer S Brach7
1Department of Kinesiology, Hungarian University of Sports Science, Budapest, Hungary.
Sports Medicine - Open
|June 6, 2023
Summary
Exercise training shows small effects on muscle mass and significant improvements in neuromuscular function in healthy older adults. Resistance training is recommended, but more research is needed for individuals with neurological conditions.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Exercise Physiology
- Neurology
Background:
- Skeletal muscle quality is vital for daily function and metabolic health.
- Exercise can improve muscle function, but effects vary across health statuses.
- Systematic review needed to examine exercise effects on muscle quality in older adults with and without neurological conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and meta-analyze exercise training effects on morphological and neuromuscular muscle quality (MMQ, NMQ) in healthy older individuals.
- To conduct a scoping review on exercise effects on NMQ and MMQ in individuals with neurological conditions.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature search in Medline, Embase, and Web of Science.
- Inclusion of randomized controlled trials on exercise training and muscle quality in older adults.
- Assessment of risk of bias and study quality; random-effects models and moderator testing.
Main Results:
- Thirty studies (n=1494) in healthy older adults showed small effects on MMQ (g=0.21) and medium-large effects on NMQ (g=0.68).
- NMQ improvements were notable in higher-functioning individuals, lower extremity muscles, and after resistance training.
- No studies were found for individuals with neurological conditions; no association between muscle quality changes and functional outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Exercise training improves NMQ more than MMQ in healthy older adults.
- Resistance training is recommended for improving muscle function in older individuals.
- Further research is critical for individuals with neurological conditions and lower function to understand exercise's impact on muscle quality and daily function.
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