Exercises

“No pharmacological or behavioral intervention to reverse sarcopenia has proven to be as efficacious as resistance training” [1].

Both resistance training and aerobic training have been shown to have positive effects, however resistance training is likely to be more beneficial due to the beneficial effects on skeletal muscle [1,2].

Resistance exercise:

• Improves strength & decreased frailty in very old persons
• Effects can be maintained for 1 year (with continued exercise)
• Can improve gait speed and walking distance
• Increases strength more than muscle size
• Disuse results in rapid deterioration

Aerobic exercise:

• May improve gait speed
• May improve quality of life (QOL) years