Aging is anecdotally associated with a prolonged recovery from resistance training,
though current literature remains equivocal. This brief review considers the effects
of resistance training on indirect markers of muscle damage and recovery (i.e., muscle
soreness, blood markers, and muscle strength) in older males. With no date restrictions,
four databases were searched for articles relating to aging, muscle damage, and recovery.
Data from 11 studies were extracted for review. Of these, four reported worse symptoms
in older compared with younger populations, while two have observed the opposite,
and the remaining studies (n = 6) proposed no differences between age groups. It appears
that resistance training can be practiced in older populations without concern for
impaired recovery. To improve current knowledge, researchers are urged to utilize
more ecologically valid muscledamaging bouts and investigate the mechanisms which
underpin the recovery of muscle soreness and strength after exercise in older populations.
