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Meta-Analysis
. 2021 Dec 15;21(1):708.
doi: 10.1186/s12877-021-02642-8.

Effects of different exercise training modes on muscle strength and physical performance in older people with sarcopenia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Linqian Lu #  1   2 , Lin Mao #  3 , Yuwei Feng #  3 , Barbara E Ainsworth  4 , Yu Liu  1 , Nan Chen  5   6
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Effects of different exercise training modes on muscle strength and physical performance in older people with sarcopenia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Linqian Lu et al. BMC Geriatr. .

Abstract

Objective: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to clarify the effects of different exercise modes (resistance training [RT], whole body vibration training [WBVT], and mixed training [MT, resistance training combined with other exercises such as balance, endurance and aerobic training]) on muscle strength (knee extension strength [KES]) and physical performance (Timed Up and Go [TUG], gait speed [GS] and the Chair Stand [CS]) in older people with sarcopenia.

Method: All studies published from January 2010 to March 2021 on the effects of exercise training in older people with sarcopenia were retrieved from 6 electronic databases: Pubmed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Wanfang Database. Two researchers independently extracted and evaluated studies that met inclusion and exclusion criteria. Pooled analyses for pre- and post- outcome measurements were performed using Review Manager 5.4 with standardized mean differences (SMDs) and fixed-effect models.

Result: Twenty-six studies (25 randomized controlled trails [RCTs] and one non-randomized controlled trail) were included in this study with 1191 older people with sarcopenia (mean age 60.6 ± 2.3 to 89.5 ± 4.4). Compared with a control group, RT and MT significantly improved KES (RT, SMD = 1.36, 95% confidence intervals [95% CI]: 0.71 to 2.02, p < 0.0001, I2 = 72%; MT, SMD = 0.62, 95% CI: 0.29 to 0.95, p = 0.0002, I2 = 56%) and GS (RT, SMD = 2.01, 95% CI: 1.04 to 2.97, p < 0.0001, I2 = 84%; MT, SMD = 0.69, 95% CI: 0.29 to 1.09, p = 0.008, I2 = 81%). WBVT showed no changes in KES (SMD = 0.65, 95% CI: - 0.02 to 1.31, p = 0.06, I2 = 80%) or GS (SMD = 0.12, 95% CI: - 0.15 to 0.39, p = 0.38, I2 = 0%). TUG times were significantly improved with all exercise training modes (SMD = -0.66, 95% CI: - 0.94 to - 0.38, p < 0.00001, I2 = 60%). There were no changes in CS times with any of the exercise training modes (SMD = 0.11, 95% CI: - 0.36 to 0.57, p = 0.65, I2 = 87%).

Conclusions: In older people with sarcopenia, KES and GS can be improved by RT and MT, but not by WBVT. All three training modes improved TUG times, but not improved CS times.

Keywords: Mixed training; Muscle strength; Physical performance; Resistance training; Sarcopenia; Whole body vibration training.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
The flowchart for study screening and selection process according to the PRISMA guidelines
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Assessment of risk of bias based on the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool. a Percent of studies with categories for risk of bias; b Summary for the risk of bias in each study
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
A forest plot of the subgroup analyses of 17 studies with KES as an outcome for sarcopenia based on different exercise training modes
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
A forest plot of the subgroup analyses of 9 studies with TUG as an outcome for sarcopenia based on different exercise training modes
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
A forest plot of the subgroup analyses of 17 studies with GS as an outcome for sarcopenia based on different exercise training modes
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
A forest plot of the subgroup analyses of 10 studies with CS as an outcome for sarcopenia based on different exercise training modes
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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