This review found that muscle strength , balance , and endurance can be improved by physical activity in people aged 40 - 65 years .
There were bigger effects on muscle strength from programs that used resistance exercises , indicating the need to include a resistance training component if strength enhancement is the goal
QUESTION Can physical activity  in adults aged 40 - 65 years enhance strength and balance and prevent falls ?
Prospective association between physical activity and falls in community-dwelling older women
Objective : To explore associations between physical activity and the risk of falls and fractured bones in community-dwelling older women . Design , setting and participants : A prospect i ve observational survey with three and six-year follow-ups . The sample included 8188 healthy , community-dwelling women , aged 70–75 years in 1996 , who completed surveys as participants in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women ’s Health . Women who reported a recent serious injury from falling were excluded . Outcomes were reports of a fall to the ground , injury from a fall , and a fractured bone in 1999 and 2002 . The main predictor variable was physical activity level in 1996 , categorised on the basis of weekly frequency as none/very low , low , moderate , high and very high . Covariates were demographic and health-related variables . Logistic regression models were computed separately for each outcome in 1999 and 2002 . Main results : In multivariable models , very high physical activity was associated with a decreased risk of reporting a fall in 1999 ( odds ratio ( OR ) 0.67 ; 95 % CI 0.47 to 0.95 ) and in 2002 ( OR 0.64 ; 95 % CI 0.43 to 0.96 ) . High/very high physical activity was associated with a decreased risk of a fractured bone in 2002 ( OR 0.53 ; 95 % CI 0.34 to 0.83 ) . No significant association was found between physical activity and injury from a fall . Conclusions : The results suggest that at least daily moderate to vigorous-intensity physical activity is required for the primary prevention of falls to the ground and fractured bones in women aged 70–75 years
This review found that muscle strength , balance , and endurance can be improved by physical activity in people aged 40 - 65 years .
There were bigger effects on muscle strength from programs that used resistance exercises , indicating the need to include a resistance training component if strength enhancement is the goal
QUESTION Can physical activity  in adults aged 40 - 65 years enhance strength and balance and prevent falls ?