ReviewEuropean review of aging and physical activity : official journal of the European Group for Research into Elderly and Physical Activity2022
Effectiveness of power training compared to strength training in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Review in European review of aging and physical activity : official journal of the European Group for Research into Elderly and Physical Activity, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers, 1 of them a synthesis 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
13 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 27 citations in OpenAlex.
- The effectiveness of virtual reality/motion-sensing games incorporating swing-based elements on upper limb function after stroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC neurology · 2026Pooled it
- Efficacy of Power Training on Sarcopenic Obesity in Community-Dwelling Older Women: A 32-Week Randomized Clinical Trial.Nutrients · 2025Trial
- The role of estimated muscle power from a sit-to-stand test in determining frailty in community-dwelling older adults.PloS one · 2026Article
- Lifetime Endurance Physical Activity Is Related to Better Cardiometabolic Profile but May Be Insufficient to Preserve Muscle Strength and Power in Middle Aged and Older Men.Clinical interventions in aging · 2026Article
- Fatigue and recovery assessed by repetitive handgrip strength measurement as predictors of fall risk in older adults: A cross-sectional study.Clinical rehabilitation · 2025Article
- Reliability and Validity of the Linear Transducer "ADR Encoder" for Measuring Power and Speed of the Sit-to-Stand Tests in Older Adults.Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- The role of physical activity in mitigating age-related changes in the neuromuscular control of gait.npj aging · 2025Article
- What determines gait speed in community-living older adults? A relative weight analysis.European geriatric medicine · 2025Article
- Assessment of muscle fatigability using isometric repetitive handgrip strength in frail older adults. A cross-sectional study.Journal of translational medicine · 2025Article
- The Impact of Power Training on Muscle Power, Physical Performance, and Physical Functioning in Older Adults: A Descriptive Case Series.Clinical interventions in aging · 2025Article
- Article
- Review
- Unraveling age-related impairment of the neuromuscular system: exploring biomechanical and neurophysiological perspectives.Frontiers in physiology · 2023Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundResearch suggests that muscle power is a more critical determinant of physical functioning in older adults than muscle strength. The objective of this study was to systematically review the literature on the effect of power training compared to strength training in older adults on tests for muscle power, two groups of activity-based tests under controlled conditions: generic tests and tests with an emphasis on movement speed, and finally, physical activity level in daily life.
methodsA systematic search for randomized controlled trials comparing effects of power training to strength training in older adults was performed in PubMed, Embase, Ebsco/CINAHL, Ebsco/SPORTDiscus, Wiley/Cochrane Library and Scopus. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration Tool, and quality of evidence was evaluated using GRADEpro Guideline Development Tool. Standardized mean differenences (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated for outcomes separately using a random effects model.
resultsFifteen trials and 583 participants were included in the meta-analysis. Results indicated a statistically significant benefit of power training on all reported outcomes (muscle power SMD: 0.99, 95% CI: 0.54 to 1.44, p < 0.001; generic activity-based tests SMD: 0.37, 95% CI 0.06 to 0.68; p = 0.02, activity-based tests emphasizing movement speed SMD: 0.43, 95% CI 0.23 to 0.62, p < 0.001). None of the included studies used physical activity level in daily life as outcome.
conclusionsPower training offers more potential for improving muscle power and performance on activity tests in older adults compared to strength training. Future research should assess exercise parameters for power training in older adults. In addition, the validity and reliability of the tests used must be evaluated to establish a standardized test protocol. This protocol should also include measurements of physical activity in daily life.
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.