Ae. Mikesky et al., EFFICACY OF A HOME-BASED TRAINING-PROGRAM FOR OLDER ADULTS USING ELASTIC TUBING, European journal of applied physiology and occupational physiology, 69(4), 1994, pp. 316-320
The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of, and the
adherence to, a 12-week home-based progressive resistance training pro
gram for older adults utilizing elastic tubing. Sixty-two adults (mean
age, 71.2 years) qualified to participate in the study. Subjects were
randomly assigned to either the exercise (E) (n = 31) or non-exercise
(NE) group (n = 31). Pre- and post-testing included isokinetic (1.05
rad.s(-1)) concentric/eccentric knee extension/flexion strength testin
g and flexibility measures of the hip, knee, and ankle. The E group tr
ained three times per week, performing one to three sets of 10-12 repe
titions for each of 12 resistance exercises. The exercises involved mu
scles of both the lower and upper body. Within the E group, 25 of the
31 subjects (80.6%) completed the study. Of the E subjects completing
the study adherence to the three training sessions per week was 90% (r
ange 72%-100%). Training resistances used during workouts increased si
gnificantly with the average estimated increase being 82% (P < 0.001).
The E group also demonstrated significant (P < 0.05) increases in iso
kinetic eccentric knee extension (12%) and flexion (10%) strength. No
other significant changes were observed between E and NE groups. These
results suggest that home-based resistance training programs utilizin
g elastic tubing can serve as a practical and effective means of elici
ting strength gains in adults over the age of 65.