Muscle Power Versus Strength as a Predictor of Mortality in Middle-Aged and Older Men and Women, 2025, Araújo et al

Abstract
Objective
To assess whether muscle power (force times velocity) outperforms strength as a risk indicator and predictor of mortality.

Participants and Methods
Anthropometric, clinical and vital status, muscle power, and strength data were assessed in 3889 individuals aged 46 to 75 years (2636 [67.8%] men) who were participants in the CLINIMEX Exercise prospective cohort between February 13, 2001, and October 31, 2022. Study participants were stratified by sex and categorized into 4 groups according to the distribution of the results of relative muscle power and strength (adjusted for body weight) measured, respectively, by handgrip and upper row movement tests.

Results
Death rates were 14.2% (373 of 2636) and 8.9% (111 of 1253) for men and women, respectively, during a median (IQR) follow-up of 10.8 years (6.7 to 15.5 years). In multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression analyses, the hazard ratios (95% CIs) for mortality comparing the lowest vs highest categories of relative muscle power were 5.88 (2.28 to 15.17; P<.001) and 6.90 (1.61 to 29.58; P=.009) for men and women, respectively. The corresponding hazard ratios (95% CIs) for relative strength were 1.62 (0.89 to 2.96; P=.11) and 1.71 (0.61 to 4.80; P=.31), respectively. Sex-specific results of risk prediction analyses revealed that improvements in C index provided by relative power over relative strength were 0.0110 (95% CI, 0.0039 to 0.0182) in men and 0.0112 (95% CI, −0.0040 to 0.0265) in women.

Conclusion
In this large prospective study, relative muscle power was a stronger predictor of mortality than relative strength in middle-aged and older men and women. Evaluating and training muscle power could be of clinical and practical relevance.
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In other words, power is more functional. - Sit-to-stand - Stair climb - Speed of movement These matter more in real life and predict risk better.

 

Speed has been the real killer for me and the best way to prevent PEM has been to limit my walking speed. Speed is still the killer even now in the recovery stage. When I'm on the road, I can scramble craggy mountains on all four for hours. But hurrying up a hill for 30 minutes puts me in the pound. When at home and under the weather, I still have to limit my walking speed to 90 steps/min. It appears the power does much more damage than the strength. Which may do good to healthy people. If you have ME/CFS, however, you may want to avoid the speed at any cost.

 

Power = Watt according to this paper:

But it also says that different fields mean different things when they measure «muscle power».
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095254624001637

 

To add, the number derived from cal/min has been the best predictor for PEM for me at consistent 10-40% correlation range. All other measures such as heart rate had random correlation.

 

I always thought balance was more important than speed and strength in aging.

I stand on one leg every morning for 60 minutes and then switch to the other leg. I'm amazed how much this has helped my balance and strength when I'm unable to go out walking or lift light weights.

 

It seems like they measured power and strength in different muscle groups. Which might impact the results.

 

Balance prevents falls. Power might increase balance everything else equal?

I guess the solution is to do rapid pistol squats!

 

noooooooo

 

After I do my legs lifts I feel more power and strength. I only started doing the lifts 2 years ago when I wasn't able to get out and walk due to a covid infection. I was surprised when I started walking again how much more strength I felt overall.

 

It’s very good to hear that simple exercises can translate to other activities. I’ll keep that in mind if I ever improve to a point where I’m not bedbound.

 

@Utsikt

This is the one I do

Many years ago I would go out and walk too much and delayed PEM would follow, but now even when I'm older, I realize that a small amount of strength and balance exercises consistently is better. I'm talking less than 10 minutes every day or when you're able.

 

Heh. This is one exercise I've been doing daily for over a year. With bits of lateral movements.

Somehow, almost still just as hard as day 1. My balance is still terrible, although the most notable is the difference between better days and worse days. I don't know how to interpret that, but it's so damn frustrating to be able to do something easily one day, and another day it feels like the very first time.