PRT had a large positive effect on strength ( 41 trials , 1955 participants ) , but there was statistical heterogeneity that was not explained by differences in study quality , participant characteristics or the exercise program .
REVIEW ER 'S CONCLUSIONS PRT appears to be an effective intervention to increase strength in older people and has a positive effect on some functional limitations .
However , the effect of this intervention on more substantive outcomes such as measures of disability or HRQOL remains unclear .
BACKGROUND Muscle weakness in old age , is associated with physical disability and an increased risk of falls .
Progressive resistance strength ( PRT ) training exercises ( i.e. movements performed against a specific external force that is regularly increased during training ) are design ed to increase strength in older people .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effect of PRT on measures of physical disability , functional limitation and impairment in older people  , and identify adverse events .
Fall risk index for elderly patients based on number of chronic disabilities.
The present study was design ed to identify prospect ively the individual chronic characteristics associated with falling among elderly persons and to test the hypothesis that risk of falling increases as the number of chronic disabilities increases . Seventy-nine consecutive admissions to three intermediate care facilities were evaluated . Twenty-five of the subjects became recurrent fallers . The nine risk factors included in the fall risk index were mobility score , morale score , mental status score , distant vision , hearing , postural blood pressure , results of back examination , postadmission medications , and admission activities of daily living score . A subject 's fall risk score was the number of index factors present . The proportions of recurrent fallers increased from 0 percent ( 0 of 30 ) in those with 0 to three risk factors , to 31 percent ( 11 of 35 ) in those with four to six factors , to 100 percent ( 14 of 14 ) in those with seven or more factors . Falling , at least among some elderly persons , appears to result from the accumulated effect of multiple specific disabilities . Some of these disabilities may be remediable . The  mobility test  , the best single predictor of recurrent falling , may be useful clinical ly because it is simple , recreates fall situations , and provides a dynamic , integrated assessment of mobility
PRT had a large positive effect on strength ( 41 trials , 1955 participants ) , but there was statistical heterogeneity that was not explained by differences in study quality , participant characteristics or the exercise program .
REVIEW ER 'S CONCLUSIONS PRT appears to be an effective intervention to increase strength in older people and has a positive effect on some functional limitations .
However , the effect of this intervention on more substantive outcomes such as measures of disability or HRQOL remains unclear .
BACKGROUND Muscle weakness in old age , is associated with physical disability and an increased risk of falls .
Progressive resistance strength ( PRT ) training exercises ( i.e. movements performed against a specific external force that is regularly increased during training ) are design ed to increase strength in older people .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effect of PRT on measures of physical disability , functional limitation and impairment in older people  , and identify adverse events .