Review article (meta-analysis)Systematic Review of High-Intensity Progressive Resistance Strength Training of the Lower Limb Compared With Other Intensities of Strength Training in Older Adults
Section snippets
Selection criteria
Only published randomized controlled trials comparing HIPRST with other intensities of PRST were considered for inclusion.
Studies with participants' mean age of ≥65 years were included, but excluded if any participants were aged <60 years old. Participants were untrained in PRST. There were no exclusions on the basis of health, sex, residence, or setting of therapy.
There are no consistent criteria for maximal-, high-, moderate-, and low-intensity strength training in the literature.2, 8, 19, 20
Results
The search strategy returned a total of 912 citations. Details on study selection can be found in figure 1. Where a single randomized controlled trial resulted in ≥2 publications, each article was included if they investigated a separate outcome measure of interest. Eight of the included articles fell into this category.8, 12, 16, 32, 35, 36, 37, 38 Multiple articles are referenced as the first published article only. Twenty-one articles of 17 trials were eligible for inclusion (see fig 1),
Discussion
This meta-analysis has shown that HIPRST demonstrates advantages over lower intensities of PRST. However, trials with similar training volumes had similar gains in lower-limb strength, regardless of training intensity. Other outcomes, such as functional performance, improved similarly across all intensities of PRST. Flexibility increased more with HIPRST and MIPRST than LIPRST. The effects of HIPRST compared with other intensities of PRST on psychological status remains unclear.
Although there
Conclusions
HIPRST may improve strength more than lower intensities of strength training, although training volume also has an important effect on the strength gains achieved. Training intensity did not appear to impact greatly on outcomes other than strength. Long programs of HIPRST are not required to see initial benefits or to achieve additional improvements. Adverse events related to strength training in older adults are minor; however, screening prior to implementing new programs is recommended to
Supplier
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Review Manager (RevMan) [Computer program]. Version 5.1. Copenhagen: The Nordic Cochrane Centre, The Cochrane Collaboration. http://ims.cochrane.org/revman/about-revman-5.
Acknowledgments
We thank R.C. Cassilhas, PhD, and M.T. Mello, PhD, for providing additional raw data for this review, as well as G. Gaesser, PhD, and R. Wiswell, PhD, for permission to reprint materials. We also thank Karen Perkins, BPhysio, MBA, and the Physiotherapy Department at Caulfield Hospital for their ongoing support.
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Supported by the Caulfield Research Trust, Alfred Health.
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