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 .
High-intensity strength training of patients enrolled in an outpatient cardiac rehabilitation program.
PURPOSE This r and omized controlled study assessed whether adding a program of high-intensity strength training ( 80 % of maximum ) to an outpatient cardiac rehabilitation program would be a safe and effective means of improving muscle strength and body composition . METHODS Thirty-eight cardiac patient volunteers ( 29 men and 9 women ) were r and omized  to either high-intensity strength training or flexibility training added concurrently to a 12-week outpatient cardiac rehabilitation aerobic exercise program .  Muscle strength , local muscle endurance , joint flexibility , maximum treadmill tolerance time , and body composition were measured before and after completion of the training . RESULTS The strength-trained patients ( n = 18 ) had greater increases in mean strength ( 90 + /- 19 % versus 9 + /- 4 % , P < 0.0001 ) and local muscle endurance ( 20 versus 6 times , P < 0.0001 ) , and decreases in mean perceived exertion for lifting the initial one repetition maximum load ( 11 + /- 1 versus 15 + /- 1 , P < 0.0001 ) when compared with flexibility-trained patients ( n = 16 ) . The strength group lost more body fat ( 2.8 + /- 2.0 versus 1.3 + /- 2.0 kg , P < 0.01 ) , tended to gain more lean tissue ( 1.5 + /- 2.3 versus 0.5 + /- 1.2 kg , P < 0.10 ) , and had greater improvements in treadmill time ( 2.3 + /- 1.3 versus 1.2 + /- 1.0 minute , P < 0.02 ) than did the flexibility group . Improvements in joint flexibility were similar for each group . None of the subjects had evidence of cardiac ischemia or arrhythmia during the training sessions . CONCLUSIONS Medically supervised high-intensity strength training is well tolerated when added to the aerobic training of cardiac rehabilitation programs and allows patients to aggressively gain the strength and endurance they will need to complete daily living tasks at lower perceived efforts . Strength training also reduces cardiac risk factors by improving body composition and maximum treadmill exercise time
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 .