Resistance training as a tool for changing muscle mass and frailty status in sarcopenic older women: a quasi-experimental study

Abstract

Frailty and sarcopenia are geriatric syndromes highly prevalent, complex, and hard to diagnose and treat. The literature still lacks a consensus on which resistance training program is better for older people, especially when considering frailty status and sarcopenia. We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a progressive resistance training program on muscle mass and frailty status in older sarcopenic women. This study included 18 community-dwelling sarcopenic women aged 65 or older enrolled in the progressive resistance training program. The intervention was based on 75% of each subject’s maximum repetition test (3 times/week, for 12 weeks). Before the intervention, 16.7% were frail, and 61.1% were pre-frail; after the intervention, 5.6% were frail, and 50% were pre-frail. The result shows that the intervention reduced frailty status and increased muscle mass (p=0.01). Hence, after the intervention, we observed both a decrease in frailty and a positive change in function, since the percentage of robust women increased twice (p=0.01). We conclude that the progressive resistance training program might be the best strategy to prevent frailty and sarcopenia. Therefore, we suggest using weight resistance training in daily clinical practice to improve muscle mass and decrease frailty status in sarcopenic women.

Efeito Do Fortalecimento Muscular Na População Idosa Para O Tratamento Da Sarcopenia: Uma Revisão De Literatura Integrativa

“…Os exercícios resistidos e aeróbicos podem ser uma alternativa segura e eficiente, no intuito de minimizar os impactos da sarcopenia. Viana et al 17 realizaram uma intervenção de treinamento resistido em 18 idosos com sarcopenia, o programa consistiu em 10 minutos de alongamento de membros inferiores e 40 minutos de fortalecimento com caneleira com foco na musculatura do quadril e joelho, concluindo que os resultados apontam melhora do estado de fragilidade e aumento da massa magra.…”

Medicina do Exercício e do Esporte: evidências científicas para uma abordagem multiprofissional - Volume 2

“…A prática de exercícios físicos é uma das formas mais significativas de amenizar o desequilíbrio entre síntese e degradação proteica que, consequentemente, levam à sarcopenia (IOLASCON et al, 2014). Um programa de treinamento de resistência progressivo parece ser uma das melhores estratégias para prevenir sarcopenia (VIANA et al, 2022).…”