Conclusions This review provides evidence that RT has a moderate positive effect on self-reported disability/function  in old people with or at risk for disability .
The effects are strongly associated with effects on objective measures of lower body functional capacity
Background Self-reported disability has a strong negative impact on older people ’s  quality of life and is often associated with the need for assistance and health care services .
Resistance training ( RT ) has been repeatedly shown to improve muscle function ( e.g. strength ) and functional capacity ( e.g. gait speed , chair-rise ) in older adults with functional limitations .
Nevertheless , it is unclear whether such objective ly assessed improvements translate into a reduction in self-reported disability .
Objectives To assess : i ) whether and to what extent RT interventions have an effect on self-reported disability in older adults ( ≥65 years ) with functional limitations or disability ; and ii ) whether the effects on self-reported disability are associated with changes in objective measures of muscle strength and functional capacity across studies .
Combination training and resistance training as effective interventions to improve functioning in elders.
The purpose of the study was to determine whether resistance training ( RT ) or a combination of resistance and aerobic training ( CT ) result ed in the most improvement in measures of functional ability in functionally limited elders . Elderly adults who exhibited some limits in functional ability were r and omly assigned to either a CT , RT , or control ( C ) group . Both RT and CT exercised three times per week for 16 weeks . At Weeks 0 and 17 , participants completed six measures of strength and six functional tests . A 3 ( group ) x 3 ( time ) ANOVA with repeated measures on the time factor was used to analyze the results . CT and RT scored significantly better than C at Week 17 for biceps curl , elbow extension , chair st and , and time up the stairs . These findings demonstrate that RT and CT are both effective at increasing measures of strength and functional ability in elderly adults who begin exercise with functional limitations
Conclusions This review provides evidence that RT has a moderate positive effect on self-reported disability/function  in old people with or at risk for disability .
The effects are strongly associated with effects on objective measures of lower body functional capacity
Background Self-reported disability has a strong negative impact on older people ’s  quality of life and is often associated with the need for assistance and health care services .
Resistance training ( RT ) has been repeatedly shown to improve muscle function ( e.g. strength ) and functional capacity ( e.g. gait speed , chair-rise ) in older adults with functional limitations .
Nevertheless , it is unclear whether such objective ly assessed improvements translate into a reduction in self-reported disability .
Objectives To assess : i ) whether and to what extent RT interventions have an effect on self-reported disability in older adults ( ≥65 years ) with functional limitations or disability ; and ii ) whether the effects on self-reported disability are associated with changes in objective measures of muscle strength and functional capacity across studies .