Effects of Resistance Training With High vs. Light-moderate Loads on Muscle-tendon Function in the Elderly

June 15, 2020 updated by: Luis M. Alegre, University of Castilla-La Mancha

There are no unbiased studies that have analyzed the effects of resistance training with traditional, heavy versus light-moderate loads on muscle, tendon and bone in elderly people.

The purpose of the present study is to assess the effects on muscle mass and function, tendon and bone of two different training intensities, light-moderate vs. heavy load, in people older than 65 years old.

The study will be carried out with a randomized controlled design. Participants will perform single training sessions and a 12-wk dynamic resistance training program on the knee extensors with different training intensities on each leg. One leg will train with heavy loads and the other one will train with light-moderate loads, but matching the load x repetitions performed by the contralateral side.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

The decline in muscle function provoked by the aging process and frailty are directly related to decreases in mobility and the ability to perform the so called "daily life activities". Resistance training is especially useful at this stage, given that it is an effective and widely applicable intervention to control and revert sarcopenia, and the deterioration of tendon and bone function. Despite of the effectiveness of heavy load resistance training, a controversy has arisen in the last years about the effects of lower load resistance training programs to achieve similar adaptations. This is because most of the studies that have compared light-moderate versus heavy load programs did not control the differences in total training load, measured as the overall mechanical work performed during the training program. Therefore, there are no unbiased studies that have analyzed the effects of resistance training with traditional, heavy versus light-moderate loads on muscle, tendon and bone in elderly people.

The purpose of the present study is to assess the effects on muscle mass and function, tendon and bone of two different training intensities, light-moderate vs. heavy load, in people older than 65 years old.

The studies will be carried out with a crossover (acute training sessions) and randomized controlled design (longitudinal training intervention). Participants will perform single training sessions with each resistance training intensity and a 12-wk dynamic resistance training program on the knee extensors with different training intensities on each leg. One leg will train with heavy loads and the other one will train with light-moderate loads, but matching the load x repetitions performed by the contralateral side. Muscle adaptations (EMG, muscle size and architecture), tendon mechanical properties, bone mineral density, blood parameters and life quality will be analyzed before and after the cessation of the training program.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

55

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Spain
      • Toledo, Spain, 45071
        • Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Laboratorio de Actividad Física y Función Muscular. Campus de la Fábrica de Armas. Avda. Carlos III s/n

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

65 years and older (Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • 65 years and older,
  • non-institutionalized
  • passed physical examination including physical function assessment (no frailty status; SPPB >7 points)

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Neurological, musculoskeletal, or other disorder that would preclude completing resistance training and all performance tests
  • Uncontrolled hypertension, unstable or exercise-induced angina pectoris or myocardial ischemia or any other medical condition that would interfere with testing or increase one's risk of complications during exercise.
  • History of regular resistance exercise during the previous 3 years
  • Knee prosthesis

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Prevention
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Factorial Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: High intensity vs Control (12 weeks)
8 weeks of baseline period plus an exercise program where one leg undergoes High Intensity resistance training (12 weeks) and the other leg is established as control.
Behavioral: High Intensity resistance training (12 weeks)
High intensity resistance training (80% of 1 repetition maximum), 2 d/wk (Longitudinal)
Other Names:
  • HIT
Behavioral: Control (12 weeks)
No resistance training during the intervention period.
Other Names:
  • CON
Active Comparator: Light intensity vs Control (12 weeks)
8 weeks of baseline period plus an exercise program where one leg undergoes light-moderate intensity resistance training (12 weeks) and the other leg is established as control.
Behavioral: Control (12 weeks)
No resistance training during the intervention period.
Other Names:
  • CON
Behavioral: Light-moderate intensity resistance training (12 weeks)
Light-moderate intensity resistance training (40% of 1 repetition maximum), 2 d/wk (Longitudinal)
Other Names:
  • LIT
Experimental: High vs Light intensity (12 weeks)
8 weeks of baseline period plus an exercise program where one leg undergoes High Intensity resistance training (12 weeks) and the other leg undergoes light-moderate intensity resistance training.
Behavioral: High Intensity resistance training (12 weeks)
High intensity resistance training (80% of 1 repetition maximum), 2 d/wk (Longitudinal)
Other Names:
  • HIT
Behavioral: Light-moderate intensity resistance training (12 weeks)
Light-moderate intensity resistance training (40% of 1 repetition maximum), 2 d/wk (Longitudinal)
Other Names:
  • LIT
Experimental: High intensity (Acute)
Analysis of the effects of one High Intensity resistance training session, with a crossover design.
Behavioral: One High Intensity resistance training session
High intensity resistance training, 1 training session
Other Names:
  • HIT (Acute)
Experimental: Light intensity (Acute)
Analysis of the effects of one Light-moderate Intensity resistance training session, with a crossover design.
Behavioral: One Light-moderate intensity resistance training session
Light-moderate intensity resistance training, 1 training session
Other Names:
  • LIT (Acute)

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Acute change in muscle size (cross sectional area, cm2)
Time Frame: Change from baseline at 5 minutes after a training session
Ultrasound-based determination quadriceps muscle size and architecture.
Change from baseline at 5 minutes after a training session
Change in muscle size (cross sectional area, cm2)
Time Frame: Change from baseline to week 12
Ultrasound-based determination quadriceps muscle size and architecture.
Change from baseline to week 12
Acute change in muscle function (N)
Time Frame: Change from baseline at 5 minutes after a training session
Force-velocity profile of the single-leg press exercise
Change from baseline at 5 minutes after a training session
Change in muscle function (N)
Time Frame: Change from baseline to week 12
Force-velocity profile of the single-leg press exercise
Change from baseline to week 12

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in patellar tendon stiffness (N/mm)
Time Frame: Change from baseline to week 12
Ultrasound and force-based measures of tendon mechanical properties.
Change from baseline to week 12
Acute change in patellar tendon stiffness (N/mm)
Time Frame: Change from baseline at 5 minutes after a training session
Ultrasound and force-based measures of tendon mechanical properties.
Change from baseline at 5 minutes after a training session
Change in muscle mass (kg)
Time Frame: Change from baseline to week 12
Lean mass determined by Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry
Change from baseline to week 12
Change in bone mass (g)
Time Frame: Change from baseline to week 12
Bone mineral content determined by Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry
Change from baseline to week 12
Acute change in muscle excitation (mV)
Time Frame: Change from baseline at 5 minutes after a training session
Electromyographic activity of the knee extensor and flexor muscles during strength assessment and training
Change from baseline at 5 minutes after a training session
Change in muscle excitation (mV)
Time Frame: Change from baseline to week 12
Electromyographic activity of the knee extensor and flexor muscles during strength assessment and training
Change from baseline to week 12
Change in physical function
Time Frame: Change from baseline to week 12
Short Physical Performance Battery
Change from baseline to week 12
Blood analysis: Acute change in oxidative stress
Time Frame: Change from baseline at 5 minutes after a training session
Carbonyl proteins (plasma concentration)
Change from baseline at 5 minutes after a training session
Blood analysis: Change in oxidative stress
Time Frame: Change from baseline to week 12
Carbonyl proteins (plasma concentration)
Change from baseline to week 12
Blood analysis: Acute change in Inflammation
Time Frame: Change from baseline at 5 minutes after a training session (Acute)
Interleukin 6, Tumoral necrosis factor Alpha, C reactive protein (plasma concentration)
Change from baseline at 5 minutes after a training session (Acute)
Blood analysis: Change in inflammation
Time Frame: Change from baseline to week 12
Interleukin 6, Tumoral necrosis factor Alpha, C reactive protein (plasma concentration)
Change from baseline to week 12
Blood analysis: Acute change in anabolic processes
Time Frame: Change from baseline at 5 minutes after a training session
Testosterone, growth hormone, Insulin growth factor-1 (plasma concentration)
Change from baseline at 5 minutes after a training session
Blood analysis: Change in anabolic processes
Time Frame: Change from baseline to week 12
Testosterone, growth hormone, Insulin growth factor-1 (plasma concentration)
Change from baseline to week 12
Blood analysis: Acute change in catabolic processes
Time Frame: Change from baseline at 5 minutes after a training session
Cortisol, Creatin kinase (plasma concentration)
Change from baseline at 5 minutes after a training session
Blood analysis: Change in catabolic processes
Time Frame: Change from baseline to week 12
Cortisol, Creatin kinase (plasma concentration)
Change from baseline to week 12

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

University of Castilla-La Mancha

Collaborators

Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, Spain
Biomedical Research Networking Center on Frailty and Healthy Aging (CIBERFES)

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Luis M. Alegre, PhD, Associate professor

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

September 1, 2017

Primary Completion (Actual)

March 12, 2020

Study Completion (Actual)

March 12, 2020

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

September 18, 2018

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

October 26, 2018

First Posted (Actual)

October 30, 2018

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

June 16, 2020

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 15, 2020

Last Verified

June 1, 2020

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • DEP2015-69386-R

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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