Serious adverse events were rare , and no serious events were reported to be directly related to the exercise programme .
This review provides evidence that PRT is an effective intervention for improving physical functioning in  older people , including improving strength and the performance of some simple and complex activities .
BACKGROUND Muscle weakness in old age is associated with physical function decline .
Progressive resistance strength training ( PRT ) exercises are design ed to increase strength .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of PRT on older people and identify adverse events .
Both resistance and agility training increase cortical bone density in 75- to 85-year-old women with low bone mass: a 6-month randomized controlled trial.
A r and omized , controlled , single-blinded 25-wk prospect i ve study was conducted to compare the effects of group-based resistance and agility training on bone , as measured by both dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry ( DXA ) and peripheral quantitative computed tomography ( pQCT ) , in older women with low bone mass . Ninety-eight community-dwelling women aged 75 - 85 yr were r and omized to one of three experimental groups : resistance training ( n = 32 ) , agility training ( n = 34 ) , or stretching ( sham exercise ) ( n = 32 ) . Total hip , femoral neck , and trochanteric bone mineral density ( BMD ) were measured by DXA . Peripheral QCT measurements were performed at the tibia and radius . The pQCT outcome measures at the shaft regions were cortical bone content , cortical bone cross-sectional area , cortical bone density , and density-weighted polar section modulus ( SSI ) . The pQCT outcome measures at the distal sites were total bone content , total bone cross-sectional area , and total bone density . At trial completion , the agility training group significantly increased cortical bone density by 0.5 + /- 0.2 % ( SE ) at the tibial shaft compared with a 0.4 + /- 0.3 % loss in the stretching group . The resistance training group significantly increased cortical bone density ( 1.4 + /- 0.6 % ) at the radial shaft compared , with a 0.4 + /- 0.5 % loss in the agility training group . No significant between-group differences were observed in the other bone outcome measures ( by DXA or pQCT ) . Future research is needed to determine the mechanism(s ) responsible for the observed adaptation of the cortical bone to mechanical loading
Serious adverse events were rare , and no serious events were reported to be directly related to the exercise programme .
This review provides evidence that PRT is an effective intervention for improving physical functioning in  older people , including improving strength and the performance of some simple and complex activities .
BACKGROUND Muscle weakness in old age is associated with physical function decline .
Progressive resistance strength training ( PRT ) exercises are design ed to increase strength .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of PRT on older people and identify adverse events .