Elderly women are able to increase muscle strength significantly. A 12-week resistance training program was developed for 27 healthy elderly women (mean age 69) to determine if increases in muscle strength is associated with changes in cross-sectional fiber area of the vastus lateralis muscle (located on the outer side of the thigh). Thirteen women were put on seven exercises that stressed primary muscle groups of the lower extremities, while 6 control subjects were assigned no exercise. Compared to baseline values, increases in muscle strength and type II muscle fibers among the exercisers were significant (28-115% and 21%, respectively). However, no significant change in strength or type II fiber area was observed in the controls. No significant changes in type I fiber area were found in either group. The authors concluded that despite an average age of 69 years old, resistance training in elderly women increased muscle strength. (9)
