Power Training and Balance in Older Adults

Researchers in Australia and Massachusetts say that low load, high velocity power training can improve balance and reduce fall risks in aging subjects.

From the abstract:
“Age-related decline in muscle power may be an early indicator of balance deficits and fall risk, even in nonfrail adults. This study examined the dose-dependent effect of power training on balance performance in healthy older adults.

One hundred twelve community-dwelling healthy older adults (69 ± 6 years) were randomized to 8–12 weeks of power training at 20% (LOW), 50% (MED), or 80% (HIGH) of maximal strength, or a nontraining control (CON) group…”

The researchers concluded:
“Power training significantly improved balance performance in participants who underwent power training compared to controls. Low intensity power training produced the greatest improvement in balance performance…

Power training improves balance, particularly using a low load, high velocity regimen, in older adults with initial lower muscle power and slower contraction. Further studies are warranted to define the mechanisms underlying this adaptation, as well as the optimum power training intensity for a range of physiological and clinical outcomes in older adults with varying levels of health status and functional independence.”

Orr R, de Vos NJ, Singh NA, Ross DA, Stavrinos TM, Fiatarone-Singh MA. Power Training Improves Balance in Healthy Older Adults. The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences 61:78-85 (2006)

Walking off Postmenopausal Decreases in bone mineral density, aerobic fitness, muscle strength, and balance

Researchers writing in the medical journal Physical Therapy say that “Menopause may induce a phase of rapid decreases in bone mineral density, aerobic fitness, muscle strength, and balance, especially in sedentary women.”
Asikainen TM, Suni JH, Pasanen ME, Oja P, Rinne MB, Miilunpalo SI, Nygard CH, Vuori IM.

Effect of brisk walking in 1 or 2 daily bouts and moderate resistance training on lower-extremity muscle strength, balance, and walking performance in women who recently went through menopause: a randomized, controlled trial. Phys Ther. 2006 Jul;86(7):912-23.

From the article abstract:
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Menopause may induce a phase of rapid decreases in bone mineral density, aerobic fitness, muscle strength, and balance, especially in sedentary women. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects and feasibility of an exercise program of 1 or 2 bouts of walking and resistance training on lower-extremity muscle strength (the force-generating capacity of muscle), balance, and walking performance in women who recently went through menopause.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The subjects were 134 women who recently went through menopause. The study was a 15-week, randomized, controlled trial with continuous and fractionated exercise groups. The outcomes assessed were lower-extremity muscle strength, balance, and walking time over 2 km. Feasibility was assessed by questionnaires, interviews, and training logs.

RESULTS: One hundred twenty-eight women completed the study. Adherence to the study protocol was 92%. Both continuous and fractionated exercise groups improved equally in lower-extremity muscle strength and walking time but not in balance. Almost 70% of the subjects considered the program to be feasible. Two daily walking sessions caused fewer lower-extremity problems than did continuous walking.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Brisk walking combined with moderate resistance training is feasible and effective. Fractionating the walking into 2 daily sessions is more feasible than continuous walking.

Muscle Mass and Strength Research

Risk factors for loss of muscle strength in aging men
The researchers concluded that the following were risk factors:
“Multivariate analyses revealed that besides older age, other risk factors also contributed to the loss of muscle strength in older men, including back pain, use of calcium channel blockers, caffeine intake, and height and weight loss.”

Resistance Training Important for Aging Muscles and Tendons
Researchers writing the medical journal Experimental Physiology say that resistance training is not only good for preventing age-related loss of muscle but for tendons as well.

Strength Training and Nutritional Counseling Benefits In Women
Writing in the Canadian Journal of Applied Physiology, researchers noted that long-term strength training and nutritional counseling had positive effects of metabolic health indicators.

Walking off Postmenopausal Decreases in bone mineral density, aerobic fitness, muscle strength, and balance.
Researchers writing in the medical journal Physical Therapy say that “Menopause may induce a phase of rapid decreases in bone mineral density, aerobic fitness, muscle strength, and balance, especially in sedentary women. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects and feasibility of an exercise program of 1 or 2 bouts of walking and resistance training on lower-extremity muscle strength (the force-generating capacity of muscle), balance, and walking performance in women who recently went through menopause.”

What is the Effect of Insulin Resistance and Loss of Lean Muscle (Sarcopenia) As We Age?
Researchers writing in the Journal of The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology say: “A reduced response of older skeletal muscle to anabolic stimuli (exercise & diet) may contribute to the development of sarcopenia.

Power Training and Balance in Older Adults
Researchers in Australia and Massachusetts say that low load, high velocity power training can improve balance and reduce fall risks in aging subjects. The researchers concluded: “Power training significantly improved balance performance in participants who underwent power training compared to controls. Low intensity power training produced the greatest improvement in balance performance.

Testosterone and Muscle Strength in the Elderly

Researchers writing in the Journal of the American Geriatric Society suggest that testosterone/DHT therapy may produce a moderate increase in muscle strength in men age 65 and over.

Ottenbacher KJ, Ottenbacher ME, Ottenbacher AJ, Acha AA, Ostir GV. Androgen treatment and muscle strength in elderly men: A meta-analysis. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2006 Nov;54(11):1666-73

The researchers reviewed published, randomized trials examining the effect of androgen treatment (Testosterone or dihydrotestosterone (DHT)) on muscle strength in older men age 65 and over.

What they found was: “larger effects for measures of lower extremity muscle strength than for upper extremity muscle strength” and “injected than topical or oral administration of testosterone/DHT.”