Exercise for Sarcopenia in the Elderly: What Kind, Which Role?

Abstract

Introduction: Sarcopenia is a progressive and generalized loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength associated with ageing. Regular exercise has been indicated to be the only strategy which consistently improves sarcopenia and physical function in elderly. The aims of this study are to review the mechanisms of sarcopenia and to evaluate the role of exercise in the elderly with sarcopenia and the current recommendations about the exercise interventions.Discussion: Exercise significantly improve mobility, functionality, muscle mass, bone mineral density, balance and proprioception; thus, decreasing the risk of falls, increasing quality of life and reducing morbidity and mortality. Different types of exercise may be of interest in patients with sarcopenia: aerobic, progressive resistance, flexibility and balance training. Supervised or group exercise programs may be preferable for elders, with regard to both safety and compliance. Conclusion:Sarcopenia is a strong predictor of disability, morbidity, and mortality in elderly. Anaerobic exercise seems to be the most important tool to prevent and treat sarcopenia.

Efficacy of Nutritional Interventions as Stand-Alone or Synergistic Treatments with Exercise for the Management of Sarcopenia

“…Resistance training should be supervised both for compliance and safety (especially for those who are frail or sarcopenic) [244,245]. Furthermore, the time of intervention should be of at least three months to obtain significant improvement in muscle parameters (i.e., muscle strength and physical performance) [244] and exercise frequency should be of two or more nonconsecutive sessions per week [41].…”

Sarcopenia, Currently a Hot Topic: A Narrative Review

“…Falls in older adults under the influence of sarcopenia also emphasize the importance of exercise, and in addition to strength and power, a balance exercise based on ability is recommended [44][45][46]. However, since an exercise program suitable for the elderly should be considered to safety, a group exercise that can be supervised and encouraged is recommended [47]. In addition to this, steady frequency, sufficient warm-up, short-term or long-term goals, and nutrition should be considered essential components [48].…”