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 .
Effect of running versus isometric training programs on healthy elderly at rest.
Left ventricular function and hemodynamic alterations at rest were measured echocardiographically following running or isometric training in 40 healthy elderly . They were r and omly assigned into two groups . Twenty ( 67 + /- 4 years ) were engaged in running and 20 ( 67.8 + /- 3.8 years ) in isometric training programs . All subjects underwent a 12-week program , 3 times a week 30 min each session . The running exercise ( REX ) group had an aerobic exercise conditioning program at 70 % of their VO2max . The program for the isometric exercise ( IEX ) group included weight lifting utilizing large muscle mass at 30 % of their maximal voluntary contraction . After training , the REX group increased significantly ( p less than 0.05 ) their VO2max from 2.08 + /- 0.37 to 2.36 + /- 0.41 liter/min and ejection fraction 56 + /- 5.9 to 62 + /- 6.1 % . They decreased significantly their heart rate , from 73 + /- 7 to 65 + /- 7 beats/min . No change occurred in the IEX group in left ventricular function and hemodynamic parameters . These data suggest that left ventricular responses at rest differ between the two groups following a short-term training with a favorable response after REX training . In addition , this study demonstrated that a controlled aerobic training program is a better way to improve physical capacity than is a weight lifting program for trained healthy elderly
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 .