Power Training for Older Adults

Why is power one of the most important physical factors of health for older adult independence?

By Dr. Joe Signorile

First, let’s define power. Although the terms strength and power are often used interchangeably, they really mean different things. Strength refers to the capacity of a muscle or body segment to produce force. Power is a measure of the rate at which that force can be developed and equates to force times velocity.

Sarcopenia, the loss of muscle mass, occurs with aging. The faster-contracting muscle fibers (type 2) are most affected by sarcopenia. With fewer fast-contracting muscle fibers, we not only lose strength, we also lose movement speed. The loss of strength and movement speed reduces the capacity to produce power. Some hypothesize that the higher disability in older women, compared with older men, may be related to women’s reduced capacity to generate power.

The good news is that power can be significantly increased in older adults, in both men and women, with appropriate training. Increased power translates into improved function, maintained ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs), decreased risk of falling and a higher quality of life.