Cardiovascular tolerance of healthy elderly subjects to weight-lifting exercises

• Published in: Medicine and science in sports and exercise Vol. 32; no. 11; p. 1845
• Main Authors: Bermon, S, Rama, D, Dolisi, C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.11.2000
• Subjects: Aged - physiology; Aged, 80 and over; Blood Pressure - physiology; Exercise Tolerance; Female; Heart - physiology; Heart Rate - physiology; Hemodynamics - physiology; Humans; Male; Troponin I - blood; Weight Lifting
• ISSN: 0195-9131
• DOI: 10.1097/00005768-200011000-00005

To evaluate the hemodynamic strain and the myocardial tolerance of weight-lifting exercises in healthy elderly subjects. Sixty-five healthy elderly subjects (32 men/33 women) aged 65-80, were studied. Weight-lifting exercises consisted of two sets of 12 repetitions at 12-repetition maximum (RM) and four sets of five repetitions at 5-RM for, horizontal leg press, seated chest press, and bilateral leg extension movements. Cardiovascular tolerance to weight-lifting exercises was evaluated both physiologically and biologically by measuring heart rate (HR) and blood pressures continuously during exercise, and cardiac troponin I (cTnI) blood concentration before and 6 h postexercise. Comparisons between resting and exercise or postexercise values were performed by a bilateral-paired t-test. A value of P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. No significant increase in cTnI circulating concentration was observed secondary to exercise (16.56+/-2.23 vs 14.40+/-1.96 ng x L(-1); mean +/- SEM). This was observed despite a significant (P < 0.001) exercise-induced increase in systolic (SAP) and diastolic arterial pressures (DAP) and HR. Highest values of SAP, DAP, and HR (223.6+/-3.1 mm Hg, 139.6+/-1.9 mm Hg, and 108+/-2 min(-1), respectively) were measured during the horizontal leg press exercise. These data suggest that weight-lifting exercises can be conducted in healthy elderly subjects without clinical, electrical, and biological sign of myocardial ischemia, if appropriate selection criteria, and proper respiratory techniques during exercise are applied.