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Skeletal muscle aging manifests as a decline in muscle quantity and quality that accelerates with aging, increasing the risk of sarcopenia. Sarcopenia is characterized by a loss of muscle strength and mass, and contributes to adverse health outcomes in older adults. Intervention studies have shown that sarcopenia may be treated by higher protein intake in combination with resistance exercise (RE). In comparison, less is known about the role of whole protein-containing foods in preventing or treating sarcopenia. Liquid milk contains multiple nutrients and bioactive components that may be beneficial for muscle, including proteins for muscle anabolism that, alone or with RE, may have myoprotective properties. However, there is a lack of evidence about the role of milk and its effects on muscle aging. This narrative review considers evidence from three observational and eight intervention studies that used milk or fortified milk, with or without exercise, as an intervention to promote muscle health and function in older adults (aged 50-99 years). The observational studies showed no association between higher habitual milk consumption and muscle-related outcomes. The results of intervention studies using fortified milk in relation to elements of sarcopenia were also negative, with further inconclusive results from the studies using a combination of (fortified) milk and exercise. Although milk contains nutrients that may be myoprotective, current evidence does not show beneficial effects of milk on muscle health in older adults. This could be due to high habitual protein intakes (>1.0 g/kg BW/d) in study participants, differences in the type of milk (low-fat vs whole) and timing of milk consumption, length of interventions, as well as differences in the sarcopenia status of participants in trials. Adequately powered intervention studies of individuals likely to benefit are needed to test the effectiveness of a whole food approach, including milk, for healthy muscle aging.

Muscular power is important for maintaining physical functioning with aging. Proper quantification of the reliability of muscular power tests is crucial to inform monitoring of individuals and sample size planning for interventional studies. This study evaluated short- and long-term reliability of leg extensor power measurement in 72 adults (age 62.7 ± 8.6 years). Participants completed four repeat trials on the Nottingham leg extensor power rig, with a further trial twelve weeks later. Mean change, typical error, and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were calculated. For short-term reliability, mean change in power output was trivial after two trials (1.2-4.8%). Typical errors were small following four trials in the dominant leg of males (10.9-5.8%), three in the non-dominant leg of males (9.9-6.2%) and the dominant leg of females (10.0-9.6%) and two in the non-dominant leg in females (8.3%). Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were very high (0.88-0.96). For long-term reliability, mean change remained trivial (1.0-2.5%), typical errors remained small (5.8-8.6%), and ICCs very high (0.94-0.96). The leg extensor power rig is a reliable method for assessing lower body muscular power, both short- and long-term, with only minimal habituation effects.

Little is known about the responses of girl athletes to training interventions throughout maturation. This study evaluated group and individual responses to an 8-week, mixed-methods, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) programme in girl football players. Thirty-seven players (age 13.4 ± 1.5 years) were tested for 20-m speed, repeated-sprint ability, change-of-direction speed and level 1 yo-yo intermittent recovery (YYIR). Players were subcategorised into before-, at- and after-PHV (peak height velocity) based on maturity offset. Very likely moderate (25%; ±90% confidence limits = 9.2) improvements occurred in YYIR, but data were unclear in players before-PHV with moderate individual differences in response. Decrements in repeated-sprint ability were most likely very large (6.5%; ±3.2) before-PHV, and likely moderate (1.7%; ±1.0) at-PHV. Data were unclear after-PHV. A very likely moderate (2.7%; ±1.0) decrement occurred in change-of-direction speed at-PHV while there was a very likely increase (-2.4%; ±1.3) in after-PHV players. Possibly small (-1.1%; ±1.4) improvements in 20-m speed occurred before-PHV but the effect was otherwise unclear with moderate to large individual differences. These data reflect specific responses to training interventions in girls of different biological maturity, while highlighting individual responses to HIIT interventions. This can assist practitioners in providing effective training prescription.

In July 2002, Christopher Hurst supervised Mbongiseni Buthelezi, a postgraduate student in Drama and Performance Studies, who conducted a Prison Theatre project at the Medium B Prison (a men's maximum security prison) at Westville Prison in Durban. Buthelezi used theatre workshop techniques to create a play that addressed expressions of prejudice towards inmates who are living with HIV/AIDS in the prison. The play re‐imagined and utilised Zulu military conventions and combined them with the Brazilian Forum Theatre methods of Augusto Boal. This combination made it possible for the inmate audiences to articulate criticisms about the behaviour of prison staff and other inmates that would otherwise have been difficult in the prison context. The performance form was recognised as something altogether new by the Zulu male participants, particularly because of the negotiations of power occasioned by the performance.