Serious adverse events were rare , and no serious events were reported to be directly related to the exercise programme .
This review provides evidence that PRT is an effective intervention for improving physical functioning in  older people , including improving strength and the performance of some simple and complex activities .
BACKGROUND Muscle weakness in old age is associated with physical function decline .
Progressive resistance strength training ( PRT ) exercises are design ed to increase strength .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of PRT on older people and identify adverse events .
Knee extension strength and walking speed in relation to quadriceps muscle composition and training in elderly women.
Knee extension strength , walking speed , quadriceps muscle mass and composition of the muscle compartment were studied in 66 to 85-year-old female athletes and controls .  Maximal voluntary knee extension force , force/body mass , extension torque , torque/body mass and walking speed were higher for the athletes than the controls . A muscle index indicating intramuscular fat and connective tissue measured using ultrasonography was lower for the athletes than the controls . There were no differences between the study groups in knee extension force related either to cross-sectional area ( CSA ) or lean tissue area ( CSAL ) of the quadriceps . Within the subgroups , there was no significant correlation between knee extension torque and CSA or CSAL of the same muscle . In the athletes high knee extension torque/body mass was related to a low muscle index and high walking speed to a low relative proportion of fat in the muscle . The muscle index was lower the more kilometers trained during the preceding year . In the controls high knee extension torque/body mass and high walking speed were related to a low relative proportion of fat . Knee extension torque and walking speed were higher the more kilometers walked during the preceding year . The results indicate that elderly female athletes have superior muscle performance compared to their age-peers . Performance in a maximal isometric strength test in elderly women is not clearly related to muscle mass . However , to some extent it is related to the composition of the same muscle , especially the degree to which fat is infiltrated into the muscle
Serious adverse events were rare , and no serious events were reported to be directly related to the exercise programme .
This review provides evidence that PRT is an effective intervention for improving physical functioning in  older people , including improving strength and the performance of some simple and complex activities .
BACKGROUND Muscle weakness in old age is associated with physical function decline .
Progressive resistance strength training ( PRT ) exercises are design ed to increase strength .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of PRT on older people and identify adverse events .