12-week Progressive Resistance Training Program Research Articles

A proximal progressive resistance training program targeting strength and power is feasible in people with patellofemoral pain

ObjectivesTo evaluate the feasibility of a 12-week progressive resistance training program for people with patellofemoral pain (PFP) targeting proximal muscle strength and power; and resulting clinical and muscle capacity outcomes. DesignFeasibility study. SettingClinical environment. ParticipantsMixed-sex sample of people with PFP. Main outcome measuresFeasibility outcomes included eligibility, recruitment rate, intervention adherence, and drop-outs. Secondary outcomes included perceived recovery, physical function (AKPS and KOOS-PF), worst pain (VAS-cm), kinesiophobia (Tampa), physical activity (IPAQ), and hip strength (isometric and 10 repetition maximum) and power. ResultsEleven people, from 36 who responded to advertisements, commenced the program. One participant withdrew. Ten participants who completed the program reported improvement (3 completely recovered; 6 marked; and 1 moderate). Higher AKPS (effect size [ES] = 1.81), improved KOOS-PF (ES = 1.37), and reduced pain (ES = 3.36) occurred alongside increased hip abduction and extension dynamic strength (ES = 2.22 and 1.92, respectively) and power (ES = 0.78 and 0.77, respectively). Isometric strength improved for hip abduction (ES = 0.99), but not hip extension. ConclusionA 12-week progressive resistance training program targeting proximal muscle strength and power is feasible and associated with moderate-large improvements in pain, function, and hip muscle capacity in people with PFP. Further research evaluating the efficacy of progressive resistance training is warranted.

Progressive resistance training in head and neck cancer patients during concomitant chemoradiotherapy -- design of the DAHANCA 31 randomized trial

BackgroundHead and neck cancer patients undergoing concomitant chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) frequently experience loss of muscle mass and reduced functional performance. Positive effects of exercise training are reported for many cancer types but biological mechanisms need further elucidation. This randomized study investigates whether progressive resistance training (PRT) may attenuate loss of muscle mass and functional performance. Furthermore, biochemical markers and muscle biopsies will be investigated trying to link biological mechanisms to training effects.MethodsAt the Departments of Oncology at Herlev and Aarhus University Hospitals, patients with stage III/IV squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, scheduled for CCRT are randomized 1:1 to either a 12-week PRT program or control group, both with 1 year follow-up. Planned enrollment is 72 patients, and stratification variables are study site, sex, p16-status, and body mass index. Primary endpoint is difference in change in lean body mass (LBM) after 12 weeks of PRT, assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). The hypothesis is that 12 weeks of PRT can attenuate the loss of LBM by at least 25%. Secondary endpoints include training adherence, changes in body composition, muscle strength, functional performance, weight, adverse events, dietary intake, self-reported physical activity, quality of life, labor market affiliation, blood biochemistry, plasma cytokine concentrations, NK-cell frequency in blood, sarcomeric protein content in muscles, as well as muscle fiber type and fiber size in muscle biopsies. Muscle biopsies are optional.DiscussionThis randomized study investigates the impact of a 12-week progressive resistance training program on lean body mass and several other physiological endpoints, as well as impact on adverse events and quality of life. Furthermore, a translational approach is integrated with extensive biological sampling and exploration into cytokines and mechanisms involved. The current paper discusses decisions and methods behind exercise in head and neck cancer patients undergoing concomitant chemoradiotherapy.Trial registrationApproved by the Regional Ethics Committee for the Capital Region of Denmark (protocol id: H-15003725) and registered retrospectively at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02557529) September 11th 2015.

Effect of elastic-band-based resistance training on leg blood flow in elderly women

The age-related decline in basal limb blood flow appears to be related to the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome, noninsulin-dependent diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Resistance training improves basal limb blood flow and vascular conductance in middle-aged men and women, but it is unknown whether similar vascular effects of training occur in the elderly. This study aimed to examine the effects of a 12-week progressive resistance training program using elastic bands on basal leg blood flow, vascular conductance, and functional performance in postmenopausal elderly women. Sixteen healthy postmenopausal females (age, 67± 5 years) were randomly assigned to a control (n = 8) or resistance training (n = 8) group, where they underwent 2 supervised strength sessions per week for 12 weeks. Prior to and at completion of this 12-week period, functional and strength performance and leg haemodynamic responses were measured. The training intervention produced significant increases in basal leg blood flow (31%), vascular conductance (34%), and a significant reduction in cardiac work (i.e., rate pressure product) at rest, as well as significant improvements in the 3 functional ability tests performed (30-s bicep curl, 30-s sit to stand, and back scratch). Haemodynamic or functional performance responses were not altered after the 12 weeks in the control group. This study demonstrates that a resistance training program using elastic bands elicits significant improvements in basal leg blood flow in postmenopausal elderly women.

Maintenance of whole muscle strength and size following resistance training in older men.

Following a progressive resistance training (PRT) program of 3 days per week, we sought to examine how effective a resistance training maintenance program of 1 day per week would be to preserve muscle strength and size in older men. Each subject's whole muscle strength (1 repetition maximum, or 1RM) and whole muscle size (determined by computed tomography scan) were measured before (T1) and after (T2) 12 weeks of PRT and again following 6 months (T3) of training (TR) or detraining (DT). During the 12-week PRT, older men (N = 10; age 70 +/- 4 years) trained their knee extensors 3 days per week at 80% of their 1RM. The maintenance program consisted of older men (n = 5; TR; 75 +/- 1 years) who completed 3 sets of 10 repetitions at 80% of their 1RM 1 day per week (this was equivalent to a single training session that was performed 3 days per week during the 12-week PRT). The other group of older men (n = 5; DT; 69 +/- 1 years) resumed their normal lifestyle (no regular physical activity) following the 12-week PRT. From T1 to T2, muscle strength increased (p <.05) 45% (66 +/- 10 to 94 +/- 10 kg) in the TR group and 53% (50 +/- 6 to 74 +/- 7 kg) in the DT group. From T2 to T3, whole muscle strength of the TR group was unchanged (96 +/- 11 kg), whereas strength decreased (p <.05) in the DT group by 11% (66 +/- 6 kg). Muscle size demonstrated a similar pattern with a 7% increase (p <.05) in both groups from T1 to T2. No change in muscle size was found in the TR group from T2 to T3, whereas the DT group had a 5% reduction (p <.05). These data indicate that resistance training 1 day per week was sufficient to maintain muscle strength and size in these older men following a 12-week PRT program. Furthermore, the men who resumed their normal lifestyle (no regular physical activity) experienced significant losses in muscle strength and size.

Concentric and Eccentric Neuromuscular Drive with a 12-Week Knee-Extensor Progressive Resistance-Training Program in Older Men

This investigation examined alterations in neuromuscular drive for dynamic and static muscle contractions, muscle strength, and cross-sectional area (CSA) with a 12-week progressive resistance-training program (PRT). Nine healthy men (70.0 ± 1.7 years) were evaluated for maximal and submaximal neuromuscular drive (integrated electromyography [IEMG]), whole-muscle strength, isokinetic power, and thigh CSA. The results demonstrated no significant differences pre- to post-PRT in the submaximal IEMG signals (p &gt; .05). IEMG increased (p &lt; .05) for the maximal static contraction (29% ± 12%) and isokinetic velocities concentrically and eccentrically. There was an increase (p &lt; .05) in maximal static strength (27% ± 5%), isokinetic concentric and eccentric strength, muscle power, IRM (47% ± 6%), and CSA (6% ± 1%; p &lt; .05). The results reveal significant neuromuscular-drive alterations in concentric and eccentric dynamic contractions with PRT in older men and indicate that their neuromuscular drive contributes significantly to improving their concentric and eccentric skeletal-muscle strength.