ReviewResistance Exercise for the Aging Adult: Clinical Implications and Prescription Guidelines
Section snippets
Resistance Exercise and Aging
There is considerable variation in muscular atrophy and weakness among aging adults, which is suggested to be somewhat attributable to the peak in mass and strength attained earlier in life.15 Therefore, even though significant adaptation are possible in the “oldest old,”16 it may be expected that the benefits of early intervention will translate to preservation of long-term health and independence. Research has identified a disproportionate decline of strength and muscle mass, indicating that
Whole Body Muscular Strength
Previous meta-analyses to examine the effects of resistance exercise for strength have restricted the primary outcome to a single strength measure (ie, knee extensors).25, 26 Considering the disproportionately greater loss of lower-body strength and muscle mass that occurs during aging, as well as the relevance of lower-limb strength to locomotion, instrumental activities of daily living, and risk of slip-and-fall accidents,27 these analyses are quite salient. However, in order to improve
Lean Body Mass
Lean body mass is regarded as a convenient parameter related to pathology, as well as a viable surrogate indicator of skeletal muscle tissue. However, as has been the case with strength outcomes, there is a great deal of inconsistency reported in the literature pertaining to the dose-response relationship of resistance exercise for muscular adaptation. Previous meta-analyses have restricted the evaluation of lean body mass as a secondary outcome or have synthesized data from across combined
Resistance Exercise Prescription Recommendations
Current guidelines for physical activity in older adults have been developed by the American College of Sports Medicine and American Heart Association.33 These “minimum” recommendations call for “muscle-strengthening activity” to be performed 2 or more nonconsecutive days per week, using a single set of 8-10 resistance exercises for the whole body, and at a moderate to high level of effort that allows 10-15 repetitions.33 Although the established guidelines provide a basis for maintaining
References (36)
- et al.
Molecular inflammation: underpinnings of aging and age-related diseases
Ageing Res Rev
(2009) - et al.
Longitudinal study of muscle strength, quality, and adipose tissue infiltration
Am J Clin Nutr
(2009) - et al.
Sarcopenia and frailty: a clinician's controversial point of view
Exp Gerontol
(2008) - et al.
The developmental origins of sarcopenia
J Nutr Health Aging
(2008) - et al.
Resistance exercise for muscular strength in older adults: a meta-analysis
Ageing Res Rev
(2010) - et al.
Tripping without falling; lower limb strength, a limitation for balance recovery and a target for training in the elderly
J Electromyogr Kinesiol
(2008) - et al.
Impact of progressive resistance training on lipids and lipoproteins in adults: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Prev Med
(2009) Ageing and human muscle: observations from Sweden
Can J Appl Physiol
(1993)- et al.
Sarcopenia exacerbates obesity-associated insulin resistance and dysglycemia: findings from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III
PLoS One
(2010) - et al.
Sarcopenic obesity and inflammation in the InCHIANTI study
J Appl Physiol
(2007)
Low relative skeletal muscle mass (sarcopenia) in older persons is associated with functional impairment and physical disability
J Am Geriatr Soc
Sarcopenia: European consensus on definition and diagnosis: report of the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People
Age Ageing
Muscle-specific atrophy of the quadriceps femoris with aging
J Appl Physiol
Role of the nervous system in sarcopenia and muscle atrophy with aging: strength training as a countermeasure
Scand J Med Sci Sports
Sarcopenia: characteristics, mechanisms and functional significance
Br Med Bull
Influence of sarcopenia on the development of physical disability: the Cardiovascular Health Study
J Am Geriatr Soc
Skeletal muscle cutpoints associated with elevated physical disability risk in older men and women
Am J Epidemiol
The healthcare costs of sarcopenia in the United States
J Am Geriatr Soc
Cited by (74)
Can increasing physical activity prevent aging-related loss of skeletal muscle?
2021, American Journal of Clinical NutritionA moderate intensity exercise program improves physical function and oxidative damage in older women with and without sarcopenic obesity
2021, Experimental GerontologyCitation Excerpt :The exercise program for this study was designed to meet adequate exercises and physical activity guidelines for older adults established by The American College of Sports Medicine (American College of Sports Medicine, 2017). Exercise intensity was adapted according to reports by Peterson and Gordon, 2011. The moderate intensity exercise program was prescribed to HW, WSO and it was monitored personally.
Management of osteoarthritis in the oldest old
2021, Revue du Rhumatisme MonographiesHippocampal plasticity underpins long-term cognitive gains from resistance exercise in MCI
2020, NeuroImage: Clinical
Funding: None.
Conflict of Interest: None.
Authorship: Both authors had complete access to the data and a played a significant role in writing the manuscript.