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Updated: Jun 14, 2025
Improving Strength, Power, Muscle Aerobic Capacity, and Glucose Tolerance through Short-term Progressive Strength Training Among Elderly People
Published on: July 5, 2017
Does high-frequency resistance exercise offer additional benefits to older adults? learnings from a randomized
Qiaowei Li1,2,3,4,5, Feng Huang1,2,3,4,5, Yanling Cheng1
1Shengli Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China.
Objective:
Resistance exercise is an effective strategy to improve muscle strength in older adults. A limited-load resistance would be flexible and suitable for community-based training. It was unclear whether high-frequency resistance exercise offer additional benefits to older adults. Here, we aimed to examine the effect of limited-load resistance exercise among different frequency on muscle parameters in older adults.
Methods:
The current study was a single-blind, randomized controlled trial comparing the effectiveness of different-frequency resistance exercise in older adults. Change in skeletal muscle was estimated with a multi-frequency bioelectrical impedance analyzer. Demographics, physical examination, nutritional assessment, prealbumin and lymphocytes were also measured. Fisher's precision probability test and baseline-adjusted generalized linear models were applied accordingly to analyze the influence of dose-different exercise on prevalence of sarcopenia, muscle parameters and body composition. A two-sided p value of < 0.05 was defined statistical significance.
Results:
The participants had a mean age of 71.96 years and close gender ratio. One hundred and twenty-seven participants (control 40; low-dose 46; high-dose 41) completed the 6-month exercise intervention. In contrast to control group, only high-dose exercise groups experienced improvements in muscle mass (0.66 kg, p < 0.001) and max grip strength (+ 2.17 kg, p < 0.001). There were significant dose-response effects of muscle mass (index), fat mass (index), max grip strength, 5-times sit to stand test, 6-minute walking test and visceral fat area (all ptrend <0.01).
Conclusions:
As the proved dose-dependent effect, current findings supported high-frequency limited-load resistance exercise applied and extended among older adults in community.
Trial Registration:
This study was registered at Chinese Clinical Trial Registry Network (ChiCTR2200062007, Registered on 19 July 2022).
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