Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32740889›Full record

SynthesisSports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.)2020

Effects of Resistance Training on Muscle Size and Strength in Very Elderly Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Jozo Grgic, Alessandro Garofolini, John Orazem, Filip Sabol, Brad J Schoenfeld, Zeljko Pedisic

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 100 papers, 16 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
100citing papers in PubMed, 16 pooled it
12.0field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

100 citing papers in PubMed, 16 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 183 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. The effectiveness of nudge-based physical activity interventions in frail older adults: a systematic review.The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity · 2026
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40 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 3 institutions in 3 countries.

Jozo GrgicInstitute for Health and Sport (IHES), Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia. jozo.grgic@live.vu.edu.au.
Alessandro GarofoliniInstitute for Health and Sport (IHES), Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia.
John OrazemSchool of Health Sciences, Human Services and Nursing, Lehman College, Bronx, USA.
Filip SabolFitness Academy, Zagreb, Croatia.
Brad J SchoenfeldDepartment of Health Sciences, Lehman College, Bronx, USA.
Zeljko PedisicInstitute for Health and Sport (IHES), Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia.
Victoria University · AULehman College · USUniversity of Zagreb · HR

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundEffects of resistance training on muscle strength and hypertrophy are well established in adults and younger elderly. However, less is currently known about these effects in the very elderly (i.e., 75 years of age and older).

objectiveTo examine the effects of resistance training on muscle size and strength in very elderly individuals.

methodsRandomized controlled studies that explored the effects of resistance training in very elderly on muscle strength, handgrip strength, whole-muscle hypertrophy, and/or muscle fiber hypertrophy were included in the review. Meta-analyses of effect sizes (ESs) were used to analyze the data.

resultsTwenty-two studies were included in the review. The meta-analysis found a significant effect of resistance training on muscle strength in the very elderly [difference in ES = 0.97; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.50, 1.44; p = 0.001]. In a subgroup analysis that included only the oldest-old participants (80 + years of age), there was a significant effect of resistance training on muscle strength (difference in ES = 1.28; 95% CI 0.28, 2.29; p = 0.020). For handgrip strength, we found no significant difference between resistance training and control groups (difference in ES = 0.26; 95% CI - 0.02, 0.54; p = 0.064). For whole-muscle hypertrophy, there was a significant effect of resistance training in the very elderly (difference in ES = 0 30; 95% CI 0.10, 0.50; p = 0.013). We found no significant difference in muscle fiber hypertrophy between resistance training and control groups (difference in ES = 0.33; 95% CI - 0.67, 1.33; p = 0.266). There were minimal reports of adverse events associated with the training programs in the included studies.

conclusionsWe found that very elderly can increase muscle strength and muscle size by participating in resistance training programs. Resistance training was found to be an effective way to improve muscle strength even among the oldest-old.

Indexed as

Muscle StrengthResistance TrainingAgedAged, 80 and overHand StrengthHumansMuscle, SkeletalRandomized Controlled Trials as Topic

Identifiers

PMID32740889
OpenAlexW3046837165

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.