Investigation Of The Relationship Between Resistance Training And Functional Disability In Young Adults (18 - 25)

Functional disability (FD) is characterized by the difficulty of performing activities of daily living (ADLs). Evidence suggests that participation in resistance training (RT) is beneficial to the performance of ADLs. However, much of the literature focuses on populations of older adults or individuals with disabilities. PURPOSE: To examine the association between FD and RT participation among young adults with the hypothesis that young adults who engage in RT are less likely to experience FD. METHODS: A sample of 54927 young adults between the ages of 18 - 25 years old living in the US from the 2015 - 2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) were included. Engagement in RT was defined as any non-zero response on the survey for the frequency of RT per week self-reported by participants. Participants were considered to experience FD if they reported having difficulty independently dressing, bathing, or doing errands as defined by BRFSS, based on the Washington Group on Disability Statistics. Logistic regressions with survey analysis techniques were performed to examine the relationship of RT and FD among young adults. RESULTS: Among the participants, 64.84% (95% CI [64.15, 65.51]) reported engaging in RT with the average frequency being 2.12 (95% CI [2.08, 2.15]) times per week and 4.41% (95% CI [4.13, 4.70]) of participants experiencing FD. The unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression found that participants who engaged in any RT had a lower likelihood of experiencing FD (odds ratio = 0.60, 95% CI [0.53, 0.69]; adjusted odds ratio = 0.77, 95% CI [0.66, 0.89]) in comparison to participants who did not, suggesting that young adults engaged in RT were less likely to experience FD. CONCLUSIONS: Engagement in RT is suggested to lower the risk of FD. RT can positively improve an individual’s ability to perform activities of daily living in young adults, similar to its effect on older adults. Young adults should be encouraged to engage in RT. The results highlight the potential of RT offering a proactive strategy to reduce disability and optimize physical function among young adults. Integrating these insights into clinical practice can reinforce the use of RT in comprehensive and effective physical therapy care, and ultimately improve the quality of life for young adult patients.