LUMEN ET VIRTUS · Oct 16, 2026
RESISTANCE EXERCISE DOSE AND PHYSICAL FUNCTION IN OLDER ADULTS WITH SARCOPENIA: A STRUCTURED EVIDENCE MAP AND EXPLORATORY META-ANALYSIS
By de Souza LA
The dose of resistance exercise most likely to improve physical function in older adults with sarcopenia remains uncertain, especially when frequency, intensity, progression, and cointerventions are considered separately. This study aimed to map the available evidence on resistance exercise prescription and physical function in sarcopenia and to conduct an exploratory quantitative synthesis when outcome definitions and data were sufficiently compatible. A structured evidence map was developed based on the PRISMA 2020 and PRISMA-S principles. Public searches in PubMed/Europe PMC, CENTRAL, PROSPERO, and PEDro were combined with citation tracking, conducted on September 28, 2026. Strategies were prepared for Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and SPORTDiscus, but it was not possible to conduct authenticated searches or obtain complete exports from these databases at this stage. Randomized trials involving adults aged 60 years or older with sarcopenia defined by EWGSOP, EWGSOP2, AWGS, or an equivalent criterion were prioritized. Risk of bias was provisionally assessed using RoB 2, and certainty was judged operationally using GRADE. The map identified 22 candidate primary study records and 16 reviews or protocols. Two trials provided compatible gait speed data: 73 participants were randomized, and 68 contributed to the effect calculations. The exploratory random-effects estimate favored resistance exercise (mean difference, 0.196 m/s; 95% confidence interval, 0.126–0.266; I²=0%). The effective protocols were progressive, supervised or monitored, and generally performed two to three times per week for 8–16 weeks, with moderate to moderately high effort. Certainty was very low because of the small evidence base, losses to follow-up, diagnostic and intervention indirectness, and the combination of different estimands. It is concluded that resistance exercise is a plausible component of functional rehabilitation, but the evidence does not establish a causal dose–response curve or demonstrate that three weekly sessions are superior to two. The manuscript should be interpreted as an exploratory evidence map, not as a definitive and fully up-to-date systematic review.