Using the specificity and overload principles to prevent sarcopenia, falls and fractures with exercise.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to review evidence on resistance training for fall, fracture, and sarcopenia prevention in older adults, focusing on specificity, progressive overload principles, and potential effect modifiers like protein intake and creatine supplementation.
Results Summary
Resistance training improves muscle mass, strength, and physical performance in older adults and may prevent bone loss, though its effectiveness for bone mass may require combination with impact exercise. Exercise programs, particularly those emphasizing balance and functional training, prevent falls, with resistance training recommended at 6-12 repetitions maximum intensity twice weekly.
Population
Older adults
Effective Dosage
Resistance training for major muscle groups at 6-12 repetitions maximum intensity, at least twice weekly
Duration
Not specified
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Resistance training | increase | muscle mass | older adults | - | can improve | #1 |
Resistance training | increase | muscle strength | older adults | - | can improve | #2 |
Resistance training | increase | a variety of physical performance measures | older adults | - | can improve | #3 |
Resistance training | decrease | bone loss | - | - | may also prevent | #4 |
Resistance training | increase | bone mass | - | - | may also increase | #5 |
Exercise programs | decrease | falls | - | - | prevent | #6 |
The aim of this narrative review is to discuss the evidence on exercise for fall, fracture and sarcopenia prevention, including evidence that aligns with the specificity and progressive overload principles used in exercise physiology, implementation strategies and future research priorities. We also provide a brief discussion of the influence of protein intake and creatine supplementation as potential effect modifiers. We prioritized evidence from randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews. Resistance training can improve muscle mass, muscle strength and a variety of physical performance measures in older adults. Resistance training may also prevent bone loss or increase bone mass, although whether it needs to be done in combination with impact exercise to be effective is less clear, because many studies use multicomponent interventions. Exercise programs prevent falls, and subgroup and network meta-analyses suggest an emphasis on balance and functional training, or specifically, anticipatory control, dynamic stability, functional stability limits, reactive control and flexibility, to maximize efficacy. Resistance training for major muscle groups at a 6-12 repetitions maximum intensity, and challenging balance exercises should be performed at least twice weekly. Choose resistance training exercises aligned with patient goals or movements done during daily activities (task specificity), alongside balance exercises tailored to ability and aspects of balance that need improvement. Progress the volume, level of difficulty or other aspects to see continuous improvement (progressive overload). A critical future priority will be to address implementation barriers and facilitators to enhance uptake and adherence.