characteristics of the women included in the study are
summarized in Table 1.
All volunteers had their balance, lower-limb loading
distribution and functional capacity (sit-to-stand, rising
from the floor, stair-climbing tests and 6-minute walking
(6 MW)) assessed and compared before and after participation
in the 13-week resistance training program. All
measurements were performed in the sequence reported
above, both before and after the exercise intervention, by the
same technician who was blinded to the research protocol
and subject grouping. Muscle strength and exercise intensity
progression were also measured and compared
between groups and these data were previously published
(16). The resistance training program consisted of lowerlimb
resistance exercises performed twice-weekly. The
present study was approved by the Ethics Committee for
Analysis of Research Projects of Hospital das Clı´nicas da
Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Sa˜o Paulo (#
CAPPesq 447/06). All volunteers read a detailed description
of the protocol and provided their written informed
consent.