Effects of different exercise training modes on muscle strength and physical performance in older people with sarcopenia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to clarify the effects of different exercise modes (resistance training [RT], whole body vibration training [WBVT], and mixed training [MT, resistance training combined with other exercises such as balance, endurance and aerobic training]) on muscle strength (knee extension strength [KES]) and physical performance (Timed Up and Go [TUG], gait speed [GS] and the Chair Stand [CS]) in older people with sarcopenia. METHOD: All studies published from January 2010 to March 2021 on the effects of exercise training in older people with sarcopenia were retrieved from 6 electronic databases: Pubmed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Wanfang Database. Two researchers independently extracted and evaluated studies that met inclusion and exclusion criteria. Pooled analyses for pre- and post- outcome measurements were performed using Review Manager 5.4 with standardized mean differences (SMDs) and fixed-effect models. RESULT: Twenty-six studies (25 randomized controlled trails [RCTs] and one non-randomized controlled trail) were included in this study with 1191 older people with sarcopenia (mean age 60.6 ± 2.3 to 89.5 ± 4.4). Compared with a control group, RT and MT significantly improved KES (RT, SMD = 1.36, 95% confidence intervals [95% CI]: 0.71 to 2.02, p < 0.0001, I(2) = 72%; MT, SMD = 0.62, 95% CI: 0.29 to 0.95, p = 0.0002, I(2) = 56%) and GS (RT, SMD = 2.01, 95% CI: 1.04 to 2.97, p < 0.0001, I(2) = 84%; MT, SMD = 0.69, 95% CI: 0.29 to 1.09, p = 0.008, I(2) = 81%). WBVT showed no changes in KES (SMD = 0.65, 95% CI: − 0.02 to 1.31, p = 0.06, I(2) = 80%) or GS (SMD = 0.12, 95% CI: − 0.15 to 0.39, p = 0.38, I(2) = 0%). TUG times were significantly improved with all exercise training modes (SMD = -0.66, 95% CI: − 0.94 to − 0.38, p < 0.00001, I(2) = 60%). There were no changes in CS times with any of the exercise training modes (SMD = 0.11, 95% CI: − 0.36 to 0.57, p = 0.65, I(2) = 87%). CONCLUSIONS: In older people with sarcopenia, KES and GS can be improved by RT and MT, but not by WBVT. All three training modes improved TUG times, but not improved CS times. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12877-021-02642-8.