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 .
Lower-extremity function in persons over the age of 70 years as a predictor of subsequent disability.
BACKGROUND Functional assessment is an important part of the evaluation of elderly persons . We conducted this study to determine whether objective measures of physical function can predict subsequent disability in older persons . METHODS This prospect i ve cohort study included men and women 71 years of age or older who were living in the community , who reported no disability in the activities of daily living , and who reported that they were able to walk one-half mile ( 0.8 km ) and climb stairs without assistance . The subjects completed a short battery of physical-performance tests and participated in a follow-up interview four years later . The tests included an assessment of st and ing balance  , a  timed 8-ft ( 2.4-m ) walk at a normal pace  , and a  timed test of five repetitions of rising from a chair and sitting down .  RESULTS Among the 1122 subjects who were not disabled at base line and who participated in the four-year follow-up , lower scores on the base-line performance tests were associated with a statistically significant , graduated increase in the frequency of disability in the activities of daily living and mobility-related disability at follow-up . After adjustment for age , sex , and the presence of chronic disease , those with the lowest scores on the performance tests were 4.2 to 4.9 times as likely to have disability at four years as those with the highest performance scores , and those with intermediate performance scores were 1.6 to 1.8 times as likely to have disability . CONCLUSIONS Among nondisabled older persons living in the community , objective measures of lower-extremity function were highly predictive of subsequent disability . Measures of physical performance may identify older persons with a pre clinical stage of disability who may benefit from interventions to prevent the development of frank disability
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 .