Maintenance of exercise-induced benefits in physical functioning and bone among elderly women.
CONCLUSIONS
This study showed that about a half of the exercise-induced gain in dynamic balance and bone strength was maintained one year after cessation of the supervised high-intensity training of home-dwelling elderly women. However, to maintain exercise-induced gains in lower limb muscle force and physical functioning, continued training seems necessary.


BACKGROUND
Maintenance of exercise-induced benefits in physical functioning and bone structure was assessed one year after cessation of 12-month randomized controlled exercise intervention.


METHODS
Originally 149 healthy women 70-78 years of age participated in the 12-month exercise RCT and 120 (81%) of them completed the follow-up study. Self-rated physical functioning, dynamic balance, leg extensor force, and bone structure were assessed.


RESULTS
During the intervention, exercise increased dynamic balance by 7% in the combination resistance and balance-jumping training group (COMB). At the follow-up, a 4% (95% CI: 1-8%) gain compared with the controls was still seen, while the exercise-induced isometric leg extension force and self-rated physical functioning benefits had disappeared. During the intervention, at least twice a week trained COMB subjects obtained a significant 2% benefit in tibial shaft bone strength index compared to the controls. A half of this benefit seemed to be maintained at the follow-up.


CONCLUSIONS
Exercise-induced benefits in dynamic balance and rigidity in the tibial shaft may partly be maintained one year after cessation of a supervised 12-month multi-component training in initially healthy elderly women. However, to maintain the achieved gains in muscle force and physical functioning, continued training seems necessary.
Karinkanta
S
S
The UKK Institute for Health Promotion Research, Tampere, Finland. saija.karinkanta@uta.fi
Heinonen
A
A
Sievänen
H
H
Uusi-Rasi
K
K
Fogelholm
M
M
Kannus
P
P
D000368:Aged; D015519:Bone Density / Q000502:physiology*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D005272:Femur Neck / Q000502:physiology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology; D013977:Tibia / Q000502:physiology