What question did this study set out to answer?

The study aims to evaluate the impacts of a long-term resistance training program on cardiac structure and function in older women.

January 25, 2026

Long-Term Resistance Training Improves Cardiac Structure and Function in Older Women: A Two-Year Randomized Controlled Trial

Q: What does this research mean for the field?

Progressive resistance training for two years reduces left ventricular mass index by 5.5% and improves various cardiac parameters in older women compared to a control group. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.NOVEL_FINDING. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.SUPPORTS_CONSENSUS.

Key Result

Progressive resistance training for two years reduced left ventricular mass index by 5.5% and improved various cardiac parameters in older women compared to a control group.

Key Points

The study aims to evaluate the impacts of a long-term resistance training program on cardiac structure and function in older women.
Randomized controlled trial design with 64 older women participants (≥ 60 years)
Participants assigned to either a training group (TG) or control group (CG)
Resistance training program lasted for two years, involving three sessions per week
Echocardiographic assessments conducted pre- and post-intervention by a blinded echocardiographer
Significant improvements in left ventricular mass index (-5.5% in TG vs. +11% in CG)
Reduced septal thickness in TG (-3.8%) compared to CG (+7.3%)
Decreased left ventricular end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes in TG (-9.0% and -7.8% respectively)
Lesser left atrial volume index in TG (-7.1%) compared to CG (+28.1%)
Notable changes in ejection fraction and E’/E septal ratios favoring the training group

Structured PICO

Does a supervised progressive resistance training program improve cardiac structure and function in physically independent older women?

Population

64 physically independent older women (age ≥ 60 years).

Intervention

Supervised progressive resistance training (RT) program over two years, 3 sessions per week on nonconsecutive days, including eight whole-body exercises performed in three sets of 8-12 repetitions.

Comparator

Control group (no resistance training).

Outcome

Cardiac structure and function assessed by echocardiography (including left ventricular mass index, septal thickness, posterior wall thickness, LVEDV, LVESV, LAVI, LVEF, E'/E septal, E septal, and E lateral) after a two-year period.surrogate

A two-year supervised progressive resistance training program significantly improves echocardiographic markers of cardiac structure and function in physically independent older women.

Main Result

Absolute Event Rate: 0% vs 0%

Abstract

Purpose: This randomized controlled trial investigated the effects of a supervised progressive resistance training (RT) program conducted over two years on cardiac structure and function in older women. Methods: Sixty-four physically independent older women (≥ 60 years) were recruited for this investigation. Participants were randomly assigned to either a training group (TG, n = 33) or a control group (CG, n = 31). The RT program was conducted over two years, in three sessions per week, on nonconsecutive days, and included eight whole-body exercises performed in three sets of 8–12 repetitions. Echocardiographic assessments were performed both before and after a two-year period by an experienced echocardiographer who was blinded to the participant's status and group assignment. Results: A group-by-time interaction was found ( P < 0.05) for the left ventricular mass index (TG = -5.5% vs. CG = +11%), septal thickness (TG = -3.8% vs. CG = +7.3%), posterior wall thickness (TG = -2.8% vs. CG = +13.6%), left ventricular end-diastolic volume (TG = -9.0% vs. CG = +20.0%), left ventricular end-systolic volume (TG = -7.8% vs. CG = +23.3%), left atrial volume index (TG = -7.1% vs. CG = +28,1%), the left ventricular ejection fraction (TG = -1.0% vs. CG = -4.9%), the E’/E septal (TG = -11.0% vs. CG = +22.1%), the E septal (TG = +14.9% vs. CG = -19.2%), and the E lateral (TG = +12.7% vs. CG = -22.8%). Conclusions: Our results suggest that a two-year follow-up of the RT intervention may improve both the cardiac morphological and functional parameters in older women.

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