The Effects of a 3-Year Resistance Training on Physical Fitness and Mobility in the Elderly

This study investigated the effects of a 3-year resistance training on physical fitness and mobility in the institutionalized elderly persons. The subjects comprised 20 elderly aged 80.1±6.O years. They were assigned to the control group (n=6) and the training group (n=14). Low intensity training was performed for 3 years, four to six times per week, for 20 min a session. Before and after intervention, quadriceps strength, grip strength, balance (functional reach), Functional Independence Measure (FIM), and ambulatory status were assessed. Quadriceps strength tend to improve from 1.02±O.25 Nm/kg to 1.24±O.43 Nm/kg for the training group, but not for the control group. Functional reach in the control group was significantly less than those in the training group after training. Grip strength and ambulatory status were decreased in the control group, whereas there was no change in the training group. These results suggest that low intensity training is effective method of increasing strength and maintaining balance and mobility in frail elderly persons