Improving Muscle Strength, Mass and Physical Function in Older Adults

Falls and fractures are serious and costly events for elderly individuals: they cause functional impairments, increase mortality and contribute to huge healthcare costs for the society. The number of falls, and following consequences, are expected to increase in society as the proportion of the elderly population will increase, therefore it is crucial to be able to detect and prevent falls and fractures in the population. The investigators have previously published results that objective measurements of postural balance can predict fall risk in 70-year-olds in Umeå and subsequently investigated whether balance can be improved through 4-week balance exercise program. However, preliminary results suggest that the frequency and duration of exercise should be longer than 3 times a week for 4 weeks to produce effects. Furthermore, there is also evidence indicating a link between muscle weakness and fall risk in elderly subjects, while research findings show that it is possible for older individuals to influence muscle strength and muscle mass with resistance exercise. Functional strength training can also positively influence the balance. In this context, the investigators aim to investigate whether a 10-week resistance exercise program may positively affect balance, muscle strength, muscle mass and physical function, with the aim of preventing future falls and fractures in the population.