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Review
. 2023 Dec 22;6(2):111-122.
doi: 10.1016/j.smhs.2023.12.003. eCollection 2024 Jun.

Responsiveness of functional performance and muscle strength, power, and size to resistance training: A systematic review

Tomé Edson Dos Reis Moda  1 , Ricardo Borges Viana  2 , Rayra Khalinka Neves Dias  1 , Eduardo Macedo Penna  1 , Victor Silveira Coswig  1   2
Affiliations
Review

Responsiveness of functional performance and muscle strength, power, and size to resistance training: A systematic review

Tomé Edson Dos Reis Moda et al. Sports Med Health Sci. .

Abstract

There is a recent and growing interest in assessing differential responders to resistance training (RT) for diverse outcomes. Thus, the individual ability to respond to an intervention for a specific measurement, called responsiveness, remains to be better understood. Thus, the current study aimed to summarize the available information about the effects of RT on functional performance and muscle strength, power, and size in healthy adults, through the prevalence rate in different responsiveness classifications models. A systematic review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) and was registered at the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO, CRD42021265378). PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Embase databases were systematically searched in October 2023. A total of 13 studies were included, totaling 921 subjects. Only two studies presented a low risk of bias. Regarding the effectiveness of RT, the prevalence rate for non-responders ranged from 0% to 44% for muscle strength, from 0% to 84% for muscle size, and from 0% to 42% for functional performance, while for muscle power, the only study found showed a responsiveness rate of 37%. In conclusion, a wide range of differential responders is described for all variables investigated. However, the evidence summarized in this systematic review suggested some caution while interpreting the findings, since the body of evidence found seems to be incipient, and widely heterogeneous in methodological and statistical aspects.

Keywords: Biological individuality; Functional performance; Heterogeneity; Inter-individual variation; Muscle strength; Skeletal muscle; Strength training.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors state that they have no conflict of interest to declare.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Flowchart of the search process and study selection.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Weighted summary risk-of-bias plot.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Traffic light risk-of-bias plot.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Range of low responders for each outcome.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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