Source: Arch Orthop Trauma Surg  |  Posted 9 years ago

Women who are older than 75 years appear to get relatively little cardiovascular fitness benefit from strength or endurance training.

Few population-based trials have looked at the effects of such training in this population, according to the investigators, from Jyvaskyla Central Hospital, Berner Ltd, in Helsinki, Peurunka-Medical Rehabilitation and Physical Exercise Centre, Laukaa and University of Jyvaskyla, Finland.

They enrolled 42 medically screened women aged 76-78 years -- 16 were randomly assigned to a strength group, 15 to endurance and 11 to a control group. The two exercise groups took part in individually tailored 18-week programmes at a university-based exercise laboratory. Controls carried on with their normal level of physical activity.

The women in the strength-training group increased their cycle ergometer peak power from 68.1 to 70.3 W (p=0.035 compared to controls) and their peak power per kg body weight from 1.02 to 1.05 (p=0.027). The endurance-training group increased their peak power per kg body weight from 0.91 to 0.93 (p=0.049). 18.1 to 19.7 ml.kg(-1) min(-1).

The strength-training group had an increase in peak oxygen uptake from 18.1 to 19.7 mL/kg(-1).min(-1), and the endurance group increased their peak oxygen uptake from 17.1 to 18.2, a difference which was not significant.

Six of 31 women (19 percent) who participated in the exercise groups withdrew from the study as a result of health problems.

The researchers warn that training programmes can uncover health problems in medically screened elderly women.