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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Boston, Massachusetts » Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #208990
Title: Lower Extremity Power Training in Elderly Subjects with Mobility Limitations: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Author
item REID, KIERAN - TUFTS UNIVERSITY
item CALLAHAN, DAMIEN - BOSTON UNIVERSITY
item CARABELLO, ROBERT - TUFTS UNIVERSITY
item PHILLIPS, EDWARD - SPAULDING REHAB. HOSP.
item FRONTERA, WALTER - UNIV. OF PUERTO RICO
item Fielding, Roger

Submitted to: Aging Clinical Experimental Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/4/2007
Publication Date: 8/1/2008
Citation: Reid, K.F., Callahan, D.M., Carabello, R.J., Phillips, E.M., Frontera, W.F., Fielding, R. 2008. Lower Extremity Power Training in Elderly Subjects with Mobility Limitations: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Aging Clinical Experimental Research. 20(4):337-343.

Interpretive Summary: This study investigated whether lower body resistance training performed as fast as possible improved leg strength and power more than training performed at traditional speed in older adults at risk for disability. Training was performed three times per week for 12 weeks and subjects completed three sets of leg press and knee extension exercises. Both training modalities yielded similar increases of leg power in the mobility-impaired elderly, although high speed training was associated with improvements in muscle quality. Additional studies are warranted to test the efficacy of power training in older individuals with compromised physical functioning.

Technical Abstract: Background and Aims This study investigated whether high-velocity high-power training (POW) improved lower extremity muscle power and quality in functionally-limited elders greater than traditional slow-velocity progressive resistance training (STR). Methods Fifty-seven community-dwelling older adults (Short Physical Performance Battery score 7.7 ± 1.4) were randomized to either POW, STR or a control group of lower extremity stretching (CON). Training was performed three times per week for 12 weeks and subjects completed three sets of leg press (LP) and knee extension (KE) exercises at 70% of the one repetition maximum (1RM). Outcome measures included 1RM strength and peak power (PP). Total leg lean mass (TLM) was determined using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry to estimate specific strength (sp1RM) and specific PP (spPP). Results During training, power output was consistently higher in POW compared to STR for KE (~2.3-fold) and LP (~2.8-fold) (p < 0.01). Despite this, KE PP and spPP increased similarly from baseline in POW and STR compared to CON (p < 0.01), and no significant time-group interaction occurred for LP PP. However, gains in LP spPP were significantly greater in POW compared to both STR and CON (p < 0.05). TLM did not change within any group. Conclusions A short-term intervention of POW and STR yielded similar increases of lower extremity power in the mobility-impaired elderly. Neuromuscular adaptations to POW, rather than skeletal muscle hypertrophy, may have facilitated the improvements in muscle quality. Additional studies are warranted to test the efficacy of power training in older individuals with compromised physical functioning.