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 .
Strength training alters the viscoelastic properties of tendons in elderly humans.
The effect of strength training for 14 weeks on patella tendon viscoelastic properties was investigated in a group of elderly individuals . Participants were assigned to training ( age [ mean + /- SD ] 73.6 + /- 3.4 years ; n = 7 ) or control ( age 66.4 + /- 1.7 years ; n = 7 ) groups .  Training was performed three times per week and consisted of two series of 10 repetitions of leg-extension and leg-press exercises at 80 % of the 5-repetition maximum .  Tendon elongation during an isometric knee-extension contraction-relaxation was measured using ultrasonography . Tendon stiffness was calculated from the gradient of the estimated force-elongation relationship and mechanical hysteresis was calculated as the area between loading-unloading curves . Knee-flexor coactivation , estimated from biceps femoris muscle electromyographic activity , was unaltered ( P > 0.05 ) after the training and control periods . No changes ( P > 0.05 ) were observed in stiffness or hysteresis after the control period . In contrast , tendon stiffness increased from 1376 + /- 811 to 2256 + /- 1476 N x mm(-1 ) ( P < 0.01 ) and hysteresis decreased from 33 + /- 5 to 24 + /- 4 % ( P < 0.05 ) , after training . These training-induced adaptations have implication s for maximal muscle force , rate of force development , and metabolic cost of locomotion
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 .