What are the effects of different exercise modes (resistance training [RT], whole body vibration training [WBVT], and mixed training [MT]) on muscle strength (knee extension strength [KES]) and physical performance (Timed Up and Go [TUG], gait speed [GS], and Chair Stand [CS]) in older people with sarcopenia?
Whole-Body Vibration Plate, a systematic review and meta-analysis (BMC Geriatr 2021, PMID 34911483) — compared to control, RT and MT significantly improved KES (RT: SMD = 1.36; MT: SMD = 0.62) and GS (RT: SMD = 2.01; MT: SMD = 0.69). Resistance and mixed training improve muscle strength and gait speed in older adults with sarcopenia, while all three training types improve TUG times.
Source: BMC Geriatr 2021, PMID 34911483 ↗ · Research map · How Magellan grades evidence · evidence confidence: medium
BMC Geriatr · 2021 · PMID 34911483 · DOI 10.1186/s12877-021-02642-8
Resistance and mixed training improve muscle strength and gait speed in older adults with sarcopenia, while all three training types improve TUG times.
The question
What are the effects of different exercise modes (resistance training [RT], whole body vibration training [WBVT], and mixed training [MT]) on muscle strength (knee extension strength [KES]) and physical performance (Timed Up and Go [TUG], gait speed [GS], and Chair Stand [CS]) in older people with sarcopenia?
What they tested
The study aimed to clarify the effects of different exercise modes on muscle strength and physical performance in older people with sarcopenia, implying an investigation into whether these modes would lead to improvements.
How they did it
A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted, retrieving studies published from January 2010 to March 2021 from six electronic databases. Two researchers independently extracted and evaluated studies. Pooled analyses for pre- and post-outcome measurements were performed using Review Manager 5.4 with standardized mean differences (SMDs) and fixed-effect models.
What they found
Twenty-six studies, including 1191 older people with sarcopenia, were analyzed. Compared to control, RT and MT significantly improved KES (RT: SMD = 1.36; MT: SMD = 0.62) and GS (RT: SMD = 2.01; MT: SMD = 0.69). WBVT showed no changes in KES (SMD = 0.65) or GS (SMD = 0.12). TUG times were significantly improved with all exercise training modes (SMD = -0.66). There were no changes in CS times with any exercise training modes (SMD = 0.11).
| RT - KES | 1.36 | |
|---|---|---|
| MT - KES | 0.62 | |
| WBVT - KES | 0.65 | |
| RT - GS | 2.01 | |
| MT - GS | 0.69 | |
| WBVT - GS | 0.12 | |
| All Modes - TUG | -0.66 | |
| All Modes - CS | 0.11 |
Standardized Mean Differences (SMD) for Knee Extension Strength (KES), Gait Speed (GS), Timed Up and Go (TUG), and Chair Stand (CS) across different exercise training modes (Resistance Training [RT], Mixed Training [MT], Whole Body Vibration Training [WBVT]). Positive SMD indicates improvement for KES and GS, while negative SMD indicates improvement for TUG (as it's a time measurement).
What it means
In older people with sarcopenia, KES and GS can be improved by resistance training and mixed training, but not by whole body vibration training. All three training modes improved TUG times, but none improved Chair Stand times.
Limitations
The abstract does not explicitly state limitations of the systematic review and meta-analysis itself, beyond the inherent variability indicated by I values for some outcomes.
Where the published abstract does not list limitations, we say so rather than inventing them. Read the full paper on PubMed before drawing conclusions.
The paper at a glance
| Magellan’s evidence label | vibration-driven muscle contraction (our label for this citation — see PubMed for the paper’s own title and authors) |
|---|---|
| Journal | BMC Geriatr |
| Year | 2021 |
| PMID | 34911483 ↗ |
| DOI | 10.1186/s12877-021-02642-8 ↗ |
| Topic | Muscle, strength & physical function |
Read the source: PubMed record (authors, abstract, full citation) ↗ · Publisher via doi.org ↗
Where Magellan uses this paper
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Whole-Body Vibration Plate
Randomized trials and meta-analyses, mostly in postmenopausal women and older adults, suggest whole-body vibration improves lower-limb muscle strength (knee-extension SMD about 0.7 in one 18-trial analysis), balance, and everyday function such as sit-to-stand and walking speed, and may aid glycemic control in type 2…
A whole-body vibration (WBV) plate, or vibration platform, is a motorized device that generates rapid…
Research describes the compound or intervention studied. It is not a claim about any specific product.
Molecules & mechanisms in this paper
Each of these is named in the paper’s own words above. Open the monograph for the full mechanism and its other citations.
Cite this page
These citations point at this summary. To cite the original paper with its full author list, use the PubMed record or doi.org.
Magellan Longevity. (2026). What are the effects of different exercise modes (resistance training [RT], whole body vibration training [WBVT], and mixed training [MT]) on muscle strength (knee extension strength [KES]) and physical performance (Timed Up and Go [TUG], gait speed [GS], and Chair Stand [CS]) in older people with sarcopenia? [Plain-English summary of BMC Geriatr 2021, PMID 34911483, DOI 10.1186/s12877-021-02642-8]. Magellan Longevity. https://magellanlongevity.com/study/s161.html@misc{magellan_s161,
title = {What are the effects of different exercise modes (resistance training [RT], whole body vibration training [WBVT], and mixed training [MT]) on muscle strength (knee extension strength [KES]) and physical performance (Timed Up and Go [TUG], gait speed [GS], and Chair Stand [CS]) in older people with sarcopenia?},
author = {{Magellan Longevity}},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {\url{https://magellanlongevity.com/study/s161.html}},
note = {Plain-English summary of PubMed PMID 34911483; DOI 10.1186/s12877-021-02642-8; BMC Geriatr 2021. Reviewed by Gabriel Radu, DO},
urldate = {2026-08-11}
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