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Strength
Training Pumps Up Seniors
Lifting weights and
other kinds of strength training help older adults fight
the loss of muscle mass and strength, and the resulting
physical disability and frailty.
But it's not clear whether strength training helps keep
older adults healthier and alive longer, says a study in
a recent issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
A Tufts University researcher reviewed 17 studies about
strength training in older adults and found some definite
blessings.
"The benefits of strength training include increased
muscle and bone mass, muscle strength, flexibility, dynamic
balance, self-confidence and self-esteem," says Miriam
E. Nelson, Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy
at Tufts, says in a prepared statement.
"Strength training also helps reduce the symptoms of
various chronic diseases such as arthritis, depression,
type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, sleep disorders and heart
disease and, when combined with balance training, reduces
falls," Nelson says.
But her study says there's no clear evidence on whether
the benefits of strength training can actually delay the
onset of disability, or on how such training helps avert
chronic diseases or their symptoms in older adults.
She also notes questions remain about appropriate frequency
and intensity of strength training for older adults. The
American College of Sports Medicine recommends two to three
days a week of strength training, a schedule that Nelson
says is appropriate for the elderly.
"The key challenges as this field of exercise science
moves forward are to best identify the most appropriate
strength-training recommendations for older adults and to
greatly increase the access to safe and effective programs
in a variety of settings," Nelson says.
Here's where you can learn more about weight
training
Here's where you can learn more about exercise
for seniors.
Article Source: HealthDay
Article Author: N/A
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