ArticleJournal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle2020
Musculoskeletal adaptations to strength training in frail elderly: a matter of quantity or quality?
Article in Journal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 18 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
18 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 33 citations in OpenAlex.
- Non invasive techniques for direct muscle quality assessment after exercise intervention in older adults: a systematic review.BMC geriatrics · 2024Pooled it
- Sarcopenia and cardiovascular diseases: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle · 2023Pooled it
- Effect of exercise modality and weight loss on changes in muscle and bone quality in older adults with obesity.Experimental gerontology · 2023Trial
- Pathological changes and therapeutic strategies for sarcopenia.EFORT open reviews · 2026Review
- Human skeletal muscle-specific hypertrophy with exercise training and aging: a comprehensive review.Journal of applied physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985) · 2025Review
- Heavy Strength Training in Older Adults: Implications for Health, Disease and Physical Performance.Journal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle · 2025Review
- Decreased muscle strength and thigh muscle area assessed with CT imaging in older Chinese adults with long duration of type 2 diabetes.The journal of nutrition, health & aging · 2025Article
- Association Between Changes in Skeletal Muscle Quality and Prognosis in Postoperative Patients with Early Gastric Cancer.Annals of surgical oncology · 2024Article
- Association of computed tomography-derived muscle mass and quality with delayed acquisition independent walking after cardiovascular surgery.Journal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle · 2024Article
- Low Hand Grip Strength, Mid-Upper Arm Muscle Area, Calf Circumference, Serum Albumin Level, and Muscle Fiber Diameter as Risk Factors for Independent Walking Inability in Patients with Hip Fracture 6 Weeks after Bipolar Hemiarthroplasty Surgery.Clinics in orthopedic surgery · 2024Article
- 2023 Padua Days of Muscle and Mobility Medicine: post-meeting Book of Abstracts.European journal of translational myology · 2023Article
- Abstracts of the 2023 Padua Days of Muscle and Mobility Medicine (2023Pdm3) to be held March 29 - April 1 at the Galileian Academy of Padua and at the Petrarca Hotel, Thermae of Euganean Hills, Padua, Italy.European journal of translational myology · 2023Article
- Cross-sectional area of erector spinae muscles is associated with activities of daily living at discharge in middle- to older-aged patients with coronavirus disease 2019.Experimental gerontology · 2022Article
- Muscle density is an independent risk factor of second hip fracture: a prospective cohort study.Journal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle · 2022Article
- Features of trunk muscle wasting during acute care and physical function recovery with aortic disease.Journal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle · 2022Article
- Muscle Strength Is Associated With Physical Function in Community-Dwelling Older Adults Receiving Home Care. A Cross-Sectional Study.Frontiers in public health · 2022Article
- Heterogeneity of the strength response to progressive resistance exercise training in older adults: Contributions of muscle contractility.Experimental gerontology · 2021Article
- Musculoskeletal adaptations to strength training in frail elderly: a matter of quantity or quality?Journal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle · 2020Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
11 authors at 4 institutions in 4 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe improvement in muscle strength generally exceeds the increase in muscle size following strength training in frail elderly, highlighting the complex aetiology of strength deficit in aging. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of heavy-load strength training on a broad number of factors related to specific strength in frail elderly.
methodsThirty-four frail elderly men (n = 18) and women (n = 16) aged 67 to 98 (86 ± 7 years) were randomized to either a group performing strength training twice a week for 10 weeks (ST) or a non-exercising control group (CON). Knee extensor muscle strength was tested as one-repetition maximum (1RM) and isometric maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) torque. Muscle activation was assessed by the interpolated twitch technique, and muscle density [mean Hounsfield units (HU)] and intermuscular adipose tissue (IMAT) by computed tomography scans of the quadriceps femoris. Muscle biopsies from the vastus lateralis were obtained to investigate changes in intramyocellular lipids and single-fibre specific tension.
resultsIn ST, knee extension 1RM and MVC improved by 17 and 7%, respectively. Muscle cross-sectional area of the quadriceps femoris increased by 7%, accompanied by a 4% increase of muscle density. No changes in IMAT, voluntary activation level, single-fibre specific tension, or lipid content were observed.
conclusionsIn contrast to several previous reports, the improvements in isometric muscle strength and muscle area were in good agreement in the present study. The training-induced increase in muscle density was not due to changes in skeletal muscle lipid content. Instead, the increase in muscle density may reflect increased packing of contractile material or simply an increased ratio of muscle tissue relative to IMAT.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.