Skip to main content
Log in

Lower extremity power training in elderly subjects with mobility limitations: a randomized controlled trial

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Aging Clinical and Experimental Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background and aims: This study investigated whether high-velocity high-power training (POW) improved lower extremity muscle power and quality in functionally-limited elders greater than traditional slow-velocity progressive resistance training (STR). Methods: Fifty-seven community-dwelling older adults aged 74.2±7 (range 65–94 yrs), Short Physical Performance Battery score 7.7±1.4, were randomized to either POW (n=23) (12 females), STR (n=22) (13 females) or a control group of lower extremity stretching (CON) (n=12) (6 females). Training was performed three times per week for 12 weeks and subjects completed three sets of double leg press and knee extension exercises at 70% of the one repetition maximum (1RM). Outcome measures included 1RM strength and peak power (PP). Total leg lean mass was determined using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry to estimate specific strength and specific PP. Results: During training, power output was consistently higher in POW compared to STR for knee extension (∼2.3-fold) and leg press (∼2.8-fold) exercises (p<0.01). Despite this, PP and specific PP of the knee extensors increased similarly from baseline in POW and STR compared to CON (p<0.01), and no significant time-group interaction occurred for PP of the leg extensors. However, gains in leg press specific PP were significantly greater in POW compared to both STR and CON (p<0.05). Total leg lean mass did not change within any group. Conclusions: A short-term intervention of high-velocity power training and traditional slow-velocity progressive resistance training yielded similar increases of lower extremity power in the mobility-impaired elderly. Neuromuscular adaptations to power training, rather than skeletal muscle hypertrophy, may have facilitated the improvements in muscle quality. Additional studies are warranted to test the efficacy of power training in older individuals with compromised physical functioning.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Bean JF, Kiely DK, Herman S, et al. The relationship between leg power and physical performance in mobility-limited older people. J Am Geriatr Soc 2002; 50: 461–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Bean JF, Leveille SG, Kiely DK, Bandinelli S, Guralnik JM, Ferrucci L. A comparison of leg power and leg strength within the InCHIANTI study: which influences mobility more? J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2003; 58: 728–33.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Perry MC, Carville SF, Smith IC, Rutherford OM, Newham DJ. Strength, power output and symmetry of leg muscles: effect of age and history of falling. Eur J Appl Physiol 2007; 100: 553–61.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Foldvari M, Clark M, Laviolette LC, et al. Association of muscle power with functional status in community-dwelling elderly women. J Gerontol Med Sci 2000; 55A: M192–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Suzuki T, Bean JF, Fielding RA. Muscle power of the ankle flexors predicts functional performance in community-dwelling older women. J Am Geriatr Soc 2001; 49: 1161–7.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Bean J, Herman S, Kiely DK, et al. Weighted stair climbing in mobility-limited older people: a pilot study. J Am Geriatr Soc 2002; 50: 663–70.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Henwood TR, Taaffe DR. Improved physical performance in older adults undertaking a short-term programme of high-velocity resistance training. Gerontology 2005; 51: 108–15.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Earles DR, Judge JO, Gunnarsson OT. Velocity training induces power-specific adaptations in highly functioning older adults. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2001; 82: 872–8.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Miszko TA, Cress ME, Slade JM, Covey CJ, Agrawal SK, Doerr CE. Effect of strength and power training on physical function in community-dwelling older adults. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2003; 58: 171–5.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Fielding RA, LeBrasseur NK, Cuoco A, Bean J, Mizer K, Fiatarone Singh MA. High-velocity resistance training increases skeletal muscle peak power in older women. J Am Geriatr Soc 2002; 50: 655–62. 1

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Guralnik JM, Simonsick EM, Ferucci L, et al. A short physical performance battery assessing lower extremity function: association with self-reported disability and prediction of mortality in nursing home admission. J Gerontol 1994; 49: M85–94.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Guralnik JM, Ferrucci L, Pieper CF, et al. Lower extremity function and subsequent disability: consistency across studies, predictive models, and value of gait speed alone compared with the short physical performance battery. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2000; 55: M221–31.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Callahan D, Carabello R, Phillips E, Frontera WR, Fielding RA. Assessment of Lower Extremity Muscle Power in Functionally-limited Elders. Aging Clin Exp Res 2007; 19: 194–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. de Vos NJ, Singh NA, Ross DA, Stavrinos TM, Orr R, Fiatarone Singh MA. Optimal load for increasing muscle power during explosive resistance training in older adults. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2005; 60: 638–47.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Hakkinen K, Kraemer WJ, Newton RU, Alen M. Changes in electromyographic activity, muscle fibre and force production characteristics during heavy resistance/power strength training in middle-aged and older men and women. Acta Physiol Scand 2001; 171: 51–62.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Van Cutsem M, Duchateau J, Hainaut K. Changes in single motor unit behaviour contribute to the increase in contraction speed after dynamic training in humans. J Physiol 1998; 513: 295–305.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Roger A. Fielding PhD.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Reid, K.F., Callahan, D.M., Carabello, R.J. et al. Lower extremity power training in elderly subjects with mobility limitations: a randomized controlled trial. Aging Clin Exp Res 20, 337–343 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03324865

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03324865

Key words

Navigation