Pvolve's Healthy Aging Clinical Study was recently published in the American College of Sports Medicine's official flagship journal, Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. This marks a major milestone for Pvolve.
The below article was penned by Dr. Nima Alamdari, Chief Clinical Advisor to Pvolve and lead on the study, to underscore the significance of this study and why it is so important for women.
How Pvolve’s Training Method Can Boost Strength, Balance, and Resilience
New findings reveal how multidimensional exercise enhances the real-world strength needs for everyday life
By Dr. Nima Alamdari
Carrying kids, hauling groceries, maneuvering strollers, wrangling dogs, and packing car trunks—everyday life comes with its own set of physical demands that aren’t always as simple as lifting a dumbbell or running on a treadmill. Real-life strength isn’t about moving weight in perfect form; it’s about carrying a toddler on one hip while opening a door with the other hand, or leaning awkwardly to buckle a seatbelt without tweaking your back. Watching my sister carry her baby twins, one on each side, while closing the car door with her foot reminded me of the need to be a modern-day contortionist, bending, twisting, and balancing to meet the demands of daily life.
For women, building a strong, adaptable foundation can be the difference between thriving in these everyday movements and facing those annoying tweaks that can turn into pain and functional limitation. It’s not just about brute force but also about balance, flexibility, stability, and resilience—qualities that allow you to tackle life’s challenges without breaking down. And for men, that functional "dad strength" becomes just as crucial, keeping them capable and injury-free as they juggle similar demands in life.
This led me, working closely with the University of Exeter team, including Professor Francis Stephens and PhD candidate Erika Svensen, to shape a program that goes beyond traditional strength training. We aimed to test an approach that translates directly to the real-world physical demands people face daily—those “activities of daily living.” This original research has just been published in the Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging, the flagship journal for the American College of Sports Medicine, highlighting a novel, low-impact exercise program designed to boost not only strength but also balance, flexibility, and postural control—qualities that become especially valuable as women move into and beyond menopause. The study provides a realistic path to building resilience that goes beyond the conventional gym workout.
Understanding the Physiology Backdrop
For women over 40, muscle strength and balance often decline, particularly in the lower body—regions like the hip flexors and abductors. These areas are crucial for stability, and their weakening significantly raises the risk of falls and hip fractures. Strong hips and stable lower body muscles correlate with higher bone density in the femoral neck, directly reducing fall risk and enhancing quality of life. Yet, interventions to bolster these areas, particularly for women undergoing menopause, remain sparse. With progressive age, a drop in estrogen and progesterone accelerates declines in muscle and bone health, making this a critical period for targeted intervention. Research has traditionally focused on preserving muscle mass and strength, but less attention has been given to the real-world needs of the body, including balance, flexibility, and mobility—elements that support functional health and independence over time. This study helps to fill that gap, examining how a low-impact, resistance-based program can strengthen not only muscle but also the stability and motion needed to provide women with practical tools for long-term resilience.
A Practical Approach to Real-World Impact
In this 12-week study, participants were split into two groups: an exercise intervention group that followed Pvolve’s low-impact resistance program and a control group that maintained their usual physical activities. Using a randomized block design, participants were categorized by age and BMI to ensure a balanced distribution of pre-, peri-, and postmenopausal women over 40 in each group. This approach enabled the team to control for the effects of menopause status on the outcomes, keeping the focus on the exercise program’s impact.
Throughout the study, participants visited the lab at baseline, 4, 8, and 12 weeks. Each visit included a series of high sensitivity assessments: DXA scans to evaluate body composition, isokinetic tests to measure hip and shoulder strength, and flexibility and balance tests to gauge lower body stability. Additionally, participants completed quality-of-life questionnaires and wore accelerometers to monitor baseline activity levels. This comprehensive design allowed the team to capture a well-rounded picture of each participant's physical health and track progress throughout the program.
A Multidimensional Approach to Strength and Stability
The 12-week, whole-body, low-impact resistance training program emphasized multiplanar movement—integrating not only strength but also balance, flexibility, and postural control in a holistic way. Sessions were delivered four times a week via instructor-led videos, with supervision from the research team to ensure participants performed the exercises correctly and safely. Unlike traditional resistance training, which often relies on isolated muscle groups and static weights, this program incorporated resistance bands at the hips, wrists, and ankles to create tension and engage multiple muscles simultaneously. This setup encouraged participants to build strength across a range of movement patterns, rather than in a single plane, making the exercises highly functional and adaptable to everyday activities.
The program included a variety of innovative exercises. For example, participants used hand weights and ankle weights while performing rotational movements, such as internal and external hip rotations on one leg, to improve both strength and stability. These exercises targeted the core, hip flexors, and stabilizer muscles, which are essential for balance and resilience. Bodyweight exercises, including squats, lunges, and planks, were also part of the regimen, focusing on foundational movements that enhance functional strength. As the weeks progressed, the exercises became more challenging, with increased repetitions and weights. The program was carefully structured to ensure gradual progression, with session duration increasing from 2.7 hours in the first week to 3.3 hours by the twelfth week. This progression kept the program engaging and allowed participants to build on their strength and flexibility without feeling overwhelmed. By the end of the study, attendance in the exercise group averaged 98%, reflecting the program’s accessibility and participant commitment.
Strength, Stability, and Quality of Life
The study’s results underscore just how transformative targeted resistance training can be. Women in the exercise group showed substantial improvements in hip strength—particularly in the flexors and abductors, which play a key role in balance and stability. Hip abduction strength, for example, increased by an impressive 19%, while hip flexion strength saw a 20% boost. Gains in muscle thickness were observed in the vastus intermedius, a crucial stabilizer for the knee joint, which can help prevent injuries in daily life.
The benefits extended beyond muscle. Dynamic balance, particularly in lateral and posterior directions, improved by over 10% in the exercise group. These gains reflect better stability and control, which are essential for reducing fall risk as we age. Improvements in flexibility—up by 21% in the sit-and-reach test—highlighted the program’s capacity to keep joints and muscles supple, a vital factor in maintaining mobility and preventing stiffness.
Interestingly, these gains were not isolated to a particular lifestage, suggesting that age-related hormonal shifts do not diminish the body’s capacity to adapt to resistance training. This finding is encouraging, showing that it’s never too late to seek improvements in strength, balance, and flexibility.
Beyond Muscle: The Broader Impact of Exercise on Aging Well
One exciting aspect of the study was the reported improvements in quality of life among participants. Women in the exercise group noted better social functioning and increased energy, both of which contribute to overall well-being. Exercise enjoyment was also higher in the postmenopausal group, countering the misconception that exercise becomes a chore with age. This finding aligns with broader research suggesting that consistent, structured exercise enhances mental and emotional health, creating a positive feedback loop that encourages ongoing activity. The real-world implications of these findings are significant. A simple, accessible training method that improves strength and balance may help women maintain independence, prevent falls, and feel more capable in their daily lives. Focused on low-impact, resistance-based exercises, this approach can be done at home or on the go, making it practical for most people regardless of gym access.
This study demonstrates that aging doesn’t have to mean losing balance, flexibility, or the strength that supports independence. With the right exercises, women can build resilience that serves them well across life stages. Starting early in one’s 30s or 40s provides a buffer against age-related declines, while those already through menopause can regain and maintain stability and strength. In the end, it’s about building a strength that goes beyond the gym—a strength that means effortlessly carrying kids, hauling groceries, managing strollers, and wrestling with an overexcited dog. Aging can become less about limitations and more about staying ready for whatever life throws at you, whether it’s a toddler on one hip or a car trunk that just won’t close. Real strength is knowing you can handle those moments, big and small, with a smile (and some well-earned confidence).
Pvolve’s Commitment to Science and Proof
Pvolve’s commitment to clinical research underscores its dedication to creating effective, science-backed exercise programs that support functional movement and overall well-being. By pairing low-impact, dynamic movement with patented resistance equipment, Pvolve’s method is designed to sculpt, strengthen, and enhance mobility. Supported by a Clinical Advisory Board, Pvolve invests in rigorous research, including clinical trials addressing areas such as lower back pain, exercise recovery, and healthy aging, to ensure proven efficacy for individuals at every stage of life.
The University of Exeter boasts one of the world’s foremost sports science teams, recognized for its groundbreaking research in exercise science, sports medicine, and sports nutrition. The department of Sport and Exercise Sciences consistently leads in the UK, with the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021) ranking Exeter 1st in the UK for research quality. The team’s commitment to excellence is demonstrated by its research impact, with 100% of research reaching international significance and 99% rated as internationally excellent. Through its cutting-edge research, Exeter continues to shape the fields of sports and exercise science globally, pushing the boundaries of knowledge and application.
