Effects of Two Types of 9-Month Adapted Physical Activity Program on Muscle Mass, Muscle Strength, and Balance in Moderate Sarcopenic Older Women

Abstract

The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of two types of 9-month adapted physical activity (APA) program, based on a muscle reinforcement training and a postural training, respectively, on muscle mass, muscle strength, and static balance in moderate sarcopenic older women. The diagnosis of sarcopenia was done in accordance with measurable variables and cut-off points suggested by the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP). Seventy-two participants were randomly assigned to two groups: the muscle reinforcement training group (RESISTANCE) (n=35; 69.9 ± 2.7 years) and the postural training group (POSTURAL) (n=37; 70.0±2.8 years). Body composition, muscle mass, skeletal muscle mass index (SMI), and handgrip strength (HGS) were evaluated for sarcopenia assessment, whereas Sway Path, Sway Area, Stay Time, and Spatial Distance were evaluated for static balance assessment. Sixty-six participants completed the study (RESISTANCE group: n=33; POSTURAL group: n=33). Significant increases of muscle mass, SMI, and handgrip strength values were found in the RESISTANCE group, after muscle reinforcement program. No significant differences appeared in the POSTURAL group, after postural training. Furthermore, RESISTANCE group showed significant improvements in static balance parameters, whereas no significant differences appeared in the POSTURAL group. On the whole, the results of this study suggest that the APA program based on muscle reinforcement applied on moderate sarcopenic older women was able to significantly improve muscle mass and muscle strength, and it was also more effective than the applied postural protocol in determining positive effects on static balance.

Exercise Programs for Muscle Mass, Muscle Strength and Physical Performance in Older Adults with Sarcopenia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…The included studies assessed muscle mass (ASM [ 17 - 23 ] and ASM/height 2 [ 18 , 24 - 27 ]), muscle strength (grip strength[ 17 , 18 , 20 - 26 , 28 - 33 ] and five chair stand time[ 23 , 26 , 34 , 35 ]) or physical performance (gait speed[ 19 - 22 , 25 , 26 , 29 , 32 , 34 , 36 , 37 ] and the TUG test[ 20 , 27 , 32 , 34 - 36 ]) at baseline and after the exercise intervention. Huang [ 38 ] used skeletal muscle mass/weight as the outcome for muscle mass.…”

“…Huang [ 38 ] used skeletal muscle mass/weight as the outcome for muscle mass. In addition, three studies used SMM [ 17 , 24 , 33 ], and four studies used SMM/height 2 to represent the muscle mass [ 30 , 31 , 34 , 34 ].…”

“…The duration of the interventions ranged from 6 to 36 weeks, and the exercise sessions consisted of 30 to 80 min training. The included studies assessed muscle mass (ASM [17][18][19][20][21][22][23] and ASM/height 2 [18,[24][25][26][27]), muscle strength (grip strength [17,18,[20][21][22][23][24][25][26][28][29][30][31][32][33] and five chair stand time [23,26,34,35]) or physical performance (gait speed [19-22, 25, 26, 29, 32, 34, 36, 37] and the TUG test [20,27,32,[34][35][36]) at baseline and after the exercise intervention. Huang [38] used skeletal muscle mass/weight as the outcome for muscle mass.…”

Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention of Sarcopenia in Hip Fractured Patients: Where We Are and Where We Are Going: A Systematic Review

“…Physical activity programs have been suggested as a relevant technique in reducing the risk of hip fracture in older patients [46,47]. In the study by Piastra et al [47], data showed a significant improvement in MM, muscle mass index, and handgrip strength in muscle reinforcement training group, demonstrating that a muscle reinforcement program moved participants from a condition of moderate sarcopenia at baseline to a condition of normality.…”

“…The exercise authors clarified the lack of differences in the types of exercise to improve sarcopenia when compared an integrated care model to a lower extremity exercise model. However, several authors promoted rehabilitation protocols for hip-fractured patients, consisting of oral nutritional supplementation with proteins and amino acids and exercise programs [46,47]. Singh et al [47] proposed a new rehabilitation protocol in the older with hip fracture after orthopaedic surgery.…”