The Effects of High-Speed Resistance Training on Health Outcomes in Independent Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Human ageing involves several physiological impairments-in particular, a decrease in sensorimotor function and changes in the nervous system reduce muscle strength, power, balance, and functional capacity performance. Preventive strategies are essential to ensure the quality of life of the elderly. High-speed resistance training (HSRT) may be an effective approach to muscle power development in this population, with significant short-term effects on neural adaptations and muscle power production. Therefore, the present study intends to analyze and systematize the studies focused on HSRT interventions and their effects on health outcomes in independent older adults. Four electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCO, and Scielo) were used for the purposes of searching randomized controlled trials that measured at least one key outcome measure focusing on velocity-based training and health outcomes in older adults on 7 March 2022 and identified 1950 studies. At the end of the process, fourteen studies were included in this systematic review and ten studies were included in the quantitative analysis. The main results showed that HSRT interventions would improve health measures, mostly cognitive function (large effects, p = 0.001, SMD = 0.94), neuromuscular function (moderate effects, p = 0.003, SMD = 0.70), and physical function (moderate effects, p = 0.04, SMD = 0.55 and p = 0.009, SMD = -0.59). Additionally, the results suggested that interventions with ten weeks or more, performed three times a week, provide significant improvements in neuromuscular function. In this sense, HSRT is effective for improving overall health outcomes in older adults. Future studies should include proper follow-ups (e.g., minimum six months) to assess the durability of HSRT intervention effects on all health-related variables.

Keywords: health measures; high-speed resistance training; neuromuscular function; older people; power training.

Figure 1

Flow chart of study design by PRISMA 2020.

Figure 2

Forest plot presenting standardized mean difference and 95% confidence intervals from studies reporting high-speed resistance-training-induced changes in cognitive function between the intervention groups and the control groups. IV, independent variable; CI, confidence interval; SMD, standardized mean difference; FAB, frontal assessment battery; MMSE, mini-mental state examination [60,63,66,67].

Figure 3

Forest plot presenting standardized mean difference and 95% confidence intervals from studies reporting high-speed resistance-training-induced changes in neuromuscular function between the intervention groups and the control groups. IV, independent variable; CI, confidence interval; SMD, standardized mean difference [54,57,61,65,66,67].

Figure 4

Forest plot presenting standardized mean difference and 95% confidence intervals from studies reporting high-speed resistance-training-induced changes in physical function ((A), through SPBB and gait velocity; (B), through TUG) between the intervention groups and the control groups. IV, independent variable; CI, confidence interval; SMD, standardized mean difference; SPPB, short physical performance battery; TUG, timed up and go test [54,55,56,61,66,67].