Effects of resistance training on muscular strength, endurance, body composition and functional performance among sarcopenic patients: a systematic review

Background Sarcopenia, a gradual loss of muscle mass and strength associated with ageing, contributes to a decline in physical abilities, increase in disability and frailty and loss of functional independence. This functional deterioration which comes with ageing, can be slowed in pace with exercise. Objective The objective of the current review was to thoroughly search for literature assessing impact of RT on physical performance, body composition, muscle strength and endurance in sarcopenic elderly patients. Methods PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and PEDro databases were brought in use for a thorough search for articles published from 2010 to 2023. Two researchers independently retrieved data from studies that complied with the inclusion and exclusion criteria, while they also evaluated quality of the evidence. Results In total, 14 studies with 742 patients with mean age of 72.4 ± 9.22 years were included in the analysis for this review. Results indicate, RT improves body composition ( p = 0.001), functional performance (p 0.001), postural stability ( p = 0.005) and muscle strength (p 0.001) in elderly sarcopenic patients. Conclusion A promising intervention for the management of sarcopenia is RT. To yield RT’s positive effects, a well-designed prescription is the need of the hour, just like it is with other treatment strategies.