Light resistance and stretching exercise in elderly women: effect upon strength.

Forty-seven elderly women (63 to 88 years of age, mean = 71 years) were studied to determine the effect of a 25-week light resistance and aerobic exercise program upon arm and leg strength. Three groups were formed: nonexercising controls (C, n = 12), exercise (EN, n = 18) and exercise with light weights on on the wrists and ankles (EW, n = 17). Exercise was performed for one hour, three times/week. Subjects were pretested and posttested for maximal isokinetic muscle strength (angular velocity 60 degrees/sec) for elbow flexion and extension, shoulder internal and external rotation, and knee flexion and extension. Dunn planned contrasts were used to compare C vs exercise groups combined (EN + EW) and EN vs EW. No significant differences were found among groups at baseline. EN + EW improved significantly (p less than 0.05) more than C in elbow extension (17%), shoulder internal rotation (14%), shoulder external rotation (9%), and knee flexion (20%). No significant differences were found between EN and EW. These data indicate that elderly women can achieve substantial gains in the strength of arm and leg musculature as a result of regular light resistance and aerobic exercise, but that the use of light weights on the wrists and ankles for added resistance did not enhance this effect.