Resistance training alters skeletal muscle structure and function in human heart failure: effects at the tissue, cellular and molecular levels

Key points  • Individuals suffering from chronic heart failure are less able to perform everyday tasks. • This physical disability is explained, in part, by muscle weakness secondary to alterations in the proteins in muscles that are necessary for muscle contraction (myofilament proteins). • Weight training exercise increases muscle strength and physical function in heart failure patients, but the mechanisms of these improvements is uncertain. • We show that resistance training improves muscle strength through increased function of myofilament proteins. • These studies are important because they identify the molecular and cellular mechanisms whereby this type of training may promote beneficial changes in physical function in elderly individuals with heart failure.