Effects of Resistance Training With Machines and Elastic Tubes on Functional Capacity and Muscle Strength in Community-Living Older Women: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

The aim of the present study is to compare the effects of 12 weeks of resistance training with machines and elastic tubes on functional capacity and muscular strength in older women aged 60 years or over. The participants were randomized into two groups: a machine group (n = 23) and an elastic group (n = 20). They performed 12 weeks of progressive resistance training, twice a week, with similar exercises. Outcomes were assessed at three time points: baseline, postintervention, and 8 weeks after the end of the training. A significant intragroup effect was demonstrated for both groups at postintervention on functional tests and muscle strength. For the functional reach test and elbow flexion strength (180°/s), only the machine group demonstrated significant intragroup differences. No differences were observed between groups for any outcome. At the 8-week follow-up, functional capacity outcome values were maintained. The muscle strength outcome values decreased to baseline scores, without differences between groups.

Effects of aging and resistance training in rat tendon remodeling.

In elderly persons, weak tendons contribute to functional limitations, injuries, and disability, but resistance training can attenuate this age-related decline. We evaluated the effects of resistance training on the extracellular matrix (ECM) of the calcaneal tendon (CT) in young and old rats and its effect on tendon remodeling. Wistar rats aged 3 mo (young, n = 30) and 20 mo (old, n = 30) were divided into 4 groups: young sedentary, young trained, old sedentary (OS), and old trained (OT). The training sessions were conducted over a 12-wk period. Aging in sedentary rats showed down-regulation in key genes that regulated ECM remodeling. Moreover, the OS group showed a calcification focus in the distal region of the CT, with reduced blood vessel volume density. In contrast, resistance training was effective in up-regulating connective tissue growth factor, VEGF, and decorin gene expression in old rats. Resistance training also increased proteoglycan content in young and old rats in special small leucine-rich proteoglycans and blood vessels and prevented calcification in OT rats. These findings confirm that resistance training is a potential mechanism in the prevention of aging-related loss in ECM and that it attenuates the detrimental effects of aging in tendons, such as ruptures and tendinopathies.-Marqueti, R. C., Durigan, J. L. Q., Oliveira, A. J. S., Mekaro, M. S., Guzzoni, V., Aro, A. A., Pimentel, E. R., Selistre-de-Araujo, H. S. Effects of aging and resistance training in rat tendon remodeling.