title: Muscular strength and physical function in elderly adults 6-18 months after a 12-week resistance exercise program.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Benefits of resistance exercise in elderly people are well documented; however, sustaining these benefits can be difficult and adherence is often poor. Muscular strength and physical function usually decline after a supervised resistance exercise program (REP). We investigated these changes in older adults during an observational follow-up and whether leisure time physical activity (LTPA) or unsupervised resistance exercise (RE) limit these changes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects (N = 236, 73.7 ± 5.7 years, 58.2% female) had participated in a supervised 12-week REP. Quadriceps strength and timed-up-and-go performance (TUG) at follow-up were compared to values before and after REP. Multivariate statistics were used to predict changes in strength or function.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two hundred and eleven (90.3%) participants completed REP and 149 (63.1%) completed follow-up (11.4 ± 2.9 months). Quadriceps strength at follow-up decreased significantly compared to after REP (-27N), but was higher than before REP (+ 30N). TUG did not decrease during follow-up and was better than before REP (-0.9 seconds). LTPA (+ 38.0N, p < 0.001) and RE (+31.6N, p = 0.006) predicted strength at follow-up, although they did not completely prevent loss of strength during follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  quadriceps strength declines after a 12-week resistance exercise program in older adults. Neither LTPA nor RE completely prevents loss of quadriceps strength during follow-up, although they limited the loss. TUG did not change during follow-up and was better at follow-up than before the start of the resistance exercise program.
authors.affiliation: The Icelandic Gerontological Research Center, Landspitali University Hospital & University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland Unit for Nutrition Research, Landspitali University Hospital & Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland ogg@hi.is.
authors.forename: Olof Gudny
authors.initials: OG
authors.lastname: Geirsdottir
authors.affiliation: Unit for Nutrition Research, Landspitali University Hospital & Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland.
authors.forename: Atli
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arnarson
authors.affiliation: Unit for Nutrition Research, Landspitali University Hospital & Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ramel
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, University of Iceland.
authors.forename: Kristin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Briem
authors.affiliation: The Icelandic Gerontological Research Center, Landspitali University Hospital & University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland Department of Geriatrics, Landspitali University Hospital, Reykjavik, Iceland.
authors.forename: Palmi V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Jonsson
authors.affiliation: Unit for Nutrition Research, Landspitali University Hospital & Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland.
authors.forename: Igna
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Thorsdottir
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D055070:Resistance Training; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: Resistance exercise; detraining; muscular strength; old; physical activity