High-Intensity Strength Training in Nonagenarians

TLDR

Muscle dysfunction and mobility impairment in frail elderly increase the risk of falls, fractures, and functional dependency. The study aimed to characterize muscle weakness in very old adults and assess its reversibility through strength training. Eighty‑year‑old institutionalized volunteers (90 ± 1 yr) performed eight weeks of high‑intensity resistance training. The intervention produced 174 % mean strength gains, 9 % increase in midthigh muscle area, 48 % faster tandem gait, and strong correlations between strength and muscle mass, demonstrating that high‑intensity resistance training markedly improves strength, size, and mobility in frail nonagenarians. Published in JAMA 1990;263:3029‑3034.

Abstract

Muscle dysfunction and associated mobility impairment, common among the frail elderly, increase the risk of falls, fractures, and functional dependency. We sought to characterize the muscle weakness of the very old and its reversibility through strength training. Ten frail, institutionalized volunteers aged 90 ± 1 years undertook 8 weeks of high-intensity resistance training. Initially, quadriceps strength was correlated negatively with walking time (<i>r</i>= -.745). Fat-free mass (<i>r</i>=.732) and regional muscle mass (<i>r</i>=.752) were correlated positively with muscle strength. Strength gains averaged 174% ±31% (mean ± SEM) in the 9 subjects who completed training. Midthigh muscle area increased 9.0%± 4.5%. Mean tandem gait speed improved 48% after training. We conclude that high-resistance weight training leads to significant gains in muscle strength, size, and functional mobility among frail residents of nursing homes up to 96 years of age. (<i>JAMA</i>. 1990;263:3029-3034)