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Title: Strength or Endurance Training Does Little to Improve Cardiovascular Fitness in Older Women

URL: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=R
Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12147561&dopt=Abstract

Age Ageing 2002;31(4):247-254. "Improving cardiovascular fitness by strength or endurance training in women aged 76-78 years. A population-based, randomized controlled trial"
08/07/2002 09:44:51 AM
By David Ball

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.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=R
Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12147561&dopt=Abstract

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