Research needed to determine benefits of exercise programmes

Further research is needed to determine which exercise programmes are beneficial to older people, according to industry experts.

Following a series of studies, evidence is still inconclusive as to which types of exercise are the most effective to improve muscle strength, suppleness and reaction times in older adults.

In 94 studies involving a total of 9917 participants, researchers identified a series of different exercises that could improve balance.

However, researchers discovered that much of the evidence was insufficient, creating a barrier to attempts to combine results from different pieces of work because of a lack of consistency.

Professor Tracey Howe, director of Glasgow City of Science, stated: "If the research community identified a core group of balance outcomes that were used in all future studies, we would be in a much stronger position to ... understand of which type of exercise is the most effective."

While it is not known which types of exercise improve the ability of older adults to perform daily activities, exercise is thought to reduce pain in old age.

In a study at Stanford University it was found that people who exercise regularly experience 25 per cent less muscle and joint pain in their old age than people who are less active.

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