Abstract
BackgroundIt is well documented that both balance and resistance training have the potential to mitigate intrinsic fall risk factors in older adults. However, knowledge about the effects of simultaneously executed balance and resistance training (i.e., resistance training conducted on unstable surfaces [URT]) on lower-extremity muscle strength, power and balance in older adults is insufficient. The objective of the present study was to compare the effects of machine-based stable resistance training (M-SRT) and two types of URT, i.e., machine-based (M-URT) and free-weight URT (F-URT), on measures of lower-extremity muscle strength, power and balance in older adults.MethodsSeventy-five healthy community-dwelling older adults aged 65–80 years, were assigned to three intervention groups: M-SRT, M-URT and F-URT. Over a period of ten weeks, all participants exercised two times per week with each session lasting ~60 min. Tests included assessment of leg muscle strength (e.g., maximal isometric leg extension strength), power (e.g., chair rise test) and balance (e.g., functional reach test), carried out before and after the training period. Furthermore, maximal training load of the squat-movement was assessed during the last training week.ResultsMaximal training load of the squat-movement was significantly lower in F-URT in comparison to M-SRT and M-URT. However, lower-extremity resistance training conducted on even and uneven surfaces meaningfully improved proxies of strength, power and balance in all groups. M-URT produced the greatest improvements in leg extension strength and F-URT in the chair rise test and functional reach test.ConclusionAside from two interaction effects, overall improvements in measures of lower-extremity muscle strength, power and balance were similar across training groups. Importantly, F-URT produced similar results with considerably lower training load as compared to M-SRT and M-URT. Concluding, F-URT seems an effective and safe alternative training program to mitigate intrinsic fall risk factors in older adults.Trial registrationThis trial has been registered with clinicaltrials.gov (NCT02555033) on 09/18/2015.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12877-016-0366-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Highlights
It is well documented that both balance and resistance training have the potential to mitigate intrinsic fall risk factors in older adults
Besides resistance training and balance training applied as a single means and the combination thereof, resistance training conducted on unstable surfaces (URT) poses an alternative or complimentary means to improve measures of strength, power and balance
To safeguard participants and account for possible cognitive and mental health conditions or any other neurological, musculoskeletal or heart-related disease, participants were excluded based on pathological ratings of the Clock Drawing Test (CDT), the Mini-Mental-State-Examination (MMSE, < 24 points), the Falls Efficacy Scale – International (FES-I, > 24 points), the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS, > 9 points), the Freiburg Questionnaire of Physical Activity (FQoPA, < 1 h) and the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB-D, < 18 points)
Summary
It is well documented that both balance and resistance training have the potential to mitigate intrinsic fall risk factors in older adults. Notwithstanding the fact that causes of falls are multifactorial, losses in lower-extremity muscle strength, power and balance seem to be the most prominent intrinsic (i.e., person-related) fall risk factors in older adults [1, 2]. Combinations of resistance and balance training describe in general a consecutive order, where resistance and balance exercises are executed within the same training session or within the same training block Those exercise interventions have shown positive effects on measures of strength, power and balance in older adults [9,10,11]
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