PRT results in improvements to muscle strength and some aspects of functional limitation , such as gait speed , in older adults .
However , based on current data , the effect of PRT on physical disability remains unclear .
Further , due to the poor reporting of adverse events in trials , it is difficult to evaluate the risks associated with PRT
BACKGROUND The aim of this systematic review was to quantify the effectiveness of progressive resistance strength training ( PRT ) to reduce  physical disability in older people .
The effects of strength conditioning on older women's ability to perform daily tasks.
OBJECTIVES The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of a strength-training program on walking speed and relative muscular stress , as measured by normalized integrated electromyographic ( nIEMG ) activity , while carrying a box of groceries and st and ing from a chair . DESIGN Prospect i ve intervention study . SETTING Volunteer subjects from the community of Birmingham , Alabama . PARTICIPANTS Fourteen healthy women aged 60 to 77 years . INTERVENTION Sixteen weeks of total body strength conditioning . MEASUREMENTS Before and after 16 weeks of strength conditioning , the following variables were evaluated for all subjects : ( 1 ) strength , six isotonic tests and two isometric tests ; ( 2 ) walking velocity ; ( 3 )  nIEMG of the biceps while carrying a box of groceries ;  and ( 4 )  nIEMG of the rectus femoris while st and ing from a chair .  MAIN RESULTS After the strength training program , subjects ' isotonic strength increased significantly , an average of 52 % on the isotonic tests and 31 % on the isometric tests . Walking velocity also increased significantly ( 18 % ) . nIEMG of the biceps decreased 36 % while carrying a box of groceries . Rectus femoris nIEMG decreased 40 % while st and ing and 47 % while sitting . CONCLUSIONS After strength conditioning , healthy older women showed not only substantially increased strength but also improvements in walking velocity and the ability to carry out daily tasks such as rising from a chair and carrying a box of groceries
PRT results in improvements to muscle strength and some aspects of functional limitation , such as gait speed , in older adults .
However , based on current data , the effect of PRT on physical disability remains unclear .
Further , due to the poor reporting of adverse events in trials , it is difficult to evaluate the risks associated with PRT
BACKGROUND The aim of this systematic review was to quantify the effectiveness of progressive resistance strength training ( PRT ) to reduce  physical disability in older people .