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Twenty-Four Months’ Resistance and Endurance Training Improves Muscle Size and Physical Functions but Not Muscle Quality in Older Adults Requiring Long-Term Care

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The journal of nutrition, health & aging

Abstract

Objectives

To assess the effects of 24 months training on muscle quality, size, strength, and gait abilities in older adults who need long-term care. Design: Non-randomized controlled trial Setting: Kawai Rehabilitation Center and Kajinoki Medical Clinic.

Participants

Ten older participants who needed long-term care (age, 76.7 ± 5.6 years) were participated as training group (Tr-group) and 10 older men and women who did not require long-term care (age, 72.9 ± 6.6 years) comprised the control group (Cont-group).

Intervention

Tr-group performed resistive and endurance exercises once or twice a week for 24 months.

Measurements

Using ultrasound images, echo intensity (EI) and muscle thickness were measured in the rectus femoris and biceps femoris as an index of muscle quality and size. Physical performance was measured before and after the training; performance parameters included knee extension peak torque, 5-m normal and maximal walk test, sit-to-stand and timed up and go test.

Results

After the training, there was no change in EI, while BF thickness was increased (pre; 1.82 ± 0.29 cm, 24 months; 2.14 ± 0.23 cm, p < 0.05) in Tr-group. Walk-related performances were improved after the training in Tr-group (i.e. 5-m walk test and timed up and go test). The percent change of knee extension peak torque explained the percent change of EI in the rectus femoris (regression coefficient = 1.24, R = 0.91, adjusted R2 = 0.82, p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Twenty-four months’ training induced muscle hypertrophy and improved physical functions. Increased muscle quality in the rectus femoris could be a key to improved knee extension peak torque, with the potential to eventually reduce the need for long-term care in older individuals.

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Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully thank the volunteers for their participation. The authors also thank the training directors (Mr. Takashi Fukatsu, Ms. Naomi Ishimizu, Ms. Noriko Masuda, and Mr. Masanari Kuroki), all of whom are staff members at Kawai Rehabilitation Center, as well as the individuals who measured the physical functional parameters (Drs. Akira Saito, Ryosuke Ando, and Aya Tomita; Ms. Madoka Ogawa, and Mr. Shohei Kondo of Nagoya University).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of International Liberal Studies, Chukyo University, 101 Tokodachi, Kaizu, Toyota, Aichi, 470-0393, Japan

    Akito Yoshiko

  2. Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan

    Akito Yoshiko & T. Koike

  3. Kajinoki Medical Clinic, Gifu, Japan

    T. Kaji & H. Sugiyama

  4. Research Center of Health, Physical Fitness & Sports, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan

    T. Koike & H. Akima

  5. Minami Seikyo Hospital, Nagoya, Japan

    Y. Oshida

  6. Graduate School of Education and Human Development, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan

    H. Akima

Authors
  1. Akito Yoshiko
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  2. T. Kaji
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  3. H. Sugiyama
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  4. T. Koike
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  5. Y. Oshida
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  6. H. Akima
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Correspondence to Akito Yoshiko.

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Yoshiko, A., Kaji, T., Sugiyama, H. et al. Twenty-Four Months’ Resistance and Endurance Training Improves Muscle Size and Physical Functions but Not Muscle Quality in Older Adults Requiring Long-Term Care. J Nutr Health Aging 23, 564–570 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-019-1208-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-019-1208-8

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