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 ?
Effect of brisk walking in 1 or 2 daily bouts and moderate resistance training on lower-extremity muscle strength, balance, and walking performance in women who recently went through menopause: a randomized, controlled trial.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Menopause may induce a phase of rapid decreases in bone mineral density , aerobic fitness , muscle strength , and balance , especially in sedentary women . The purpose of this study was to examine the effects and feasibility of an exercise program of 1 or 2 bouts of walking and resistance training on lower-extremity muscle strength ( the force-generating capacity of muscle ) , balance , and walking performance in women who recently went through menopause . SUBJECTS AND METHODS The subjects were 134 women who recently went through menopause . The study was a 15-week , r and omized , controlled trial with continuous and fractionated exercise groups . The outcomes assessed were lower-extremity muscle strength , balance , and walking time over 2 km . Feasibility was assessed by question naires , interviews , and training logs . RESULTS One hundred twenty-eight women completed the study .  Adherence to the study protocol was 92 % . Both continuous and fractionated exercise groups improved equally in lower-extremity muscle strength and walking time but not in balance . Almost 70 % of the subjects considered the program to be feasible . Two daily walking sessions caused fewer lower-extremity problems than did continuous walking . DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION Brisk walking combined with moderate resistance training is feasible and effective . Fractionating the walking into 2 daily sessions is more feasible than continuous walking
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 ?