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 .
Home exercise to improve strength and walking velocity after hip fracture: a randomized controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE To determine the effect of a home exercise program on strength , postural control , and mobility following hip fracture . DESIGN R and omized controlled trial of 1 month 's duration . SETTING Daily exercise carried out within the subjects ' home environments . PARTICIPANTS Forty-two people 64 to 94 years of age , 35 of whom were living independently in the community and 7 of whom were residing in institutional care . Subjects were recruited on average 7 months after a fall-related hip fracture and r and omly allocated to either the intervention or the control group ( n = 21 each ) . The groups were well matched in terms of medical conditions , medication use , disability , and activity levels . INTERVENTION A " home-based " program of weight-bearing exercise established at a visit by a physiotherapist . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Quadriceps strength , postural sway , functional reach , weight-bearing ability , walking velocity , and self-rated fall risk . The subjects undertook these assessment s at the beginning and end of the trial . RESULTS At pretest , exercisers and controls performed similarly in all tests . At the end of the trial , the intervention group showed significantly greater quadriceps strength in the affected ( hip-fractured ) leg and increased walking velocity . The intervention subjects also improved their weight-bearing ability and reported reduced subjective falls risk . In contrast , there were no significant improvements in any of the test measures in the controls . Within the intervention group , improvements in quadriceps strength were significantly associated with improved performances in the weight-bearing test measures and with increased walking velocity . CONCLUSIONS This exercise program improved strength and mobility following hip fracture . Further research is needed to ascertain whether the extent of this improvement in these fall risk factors is sufficient to prevent falls
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 .