Exercise strategies to protect against the impact of short-term reduced physical activity on muscle function and markers of health in older men: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Muscles get smaller and weaker as we age and become more vulnerable to atrophy when physical activity is reduced or removed. This research is designed to investigate the potentially protective effects of two separate exercise strategies against loss in skeletal muscle function and size, and other key indices of health, following 14 days of reduced physical activity in older men.

Methods

Three groups of 10 older men (aged 65-80 years) will undertake 2 weeks of reduced activity by decreasing daily steps from more than 3500 to less than 1500 (using pedometers to record step count). Two of the three groups will then undertake additional exercise interventions, either: 4 weeks of progressive resistance training prior to the step-reduction intervention (PT-group), or ho

SUBMITTER: Perkin OJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4969660 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature