Introduction: Anorexia nervosa most often occurs in women aged 15 – 20 years and is associated with family, sociocultural, genetic and biological factors. It is characterized by fear of gaining weight, low body weight and its denial, low body mass index, and amenorrhea. It is also often associated with osteoporosis and reduced muscle strength, as well as depression, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and perfectionism. Resistance training improves muscle strength and body mass index in healthy individuals, but it is not yet exactly known what effect it has on people with anorexia nervosa. Purpose: The purpose of this diploma was to determine, based on the reviewed literature, whether resistance training improves muscle strength in people with anorexia nervosa. Methods: A descriptive research method was used. Literature was searched in two databases – Web of Science Core Collection and PubMed. Articles were searched in the time period from 2006 to 2023 with the following keywords: resistance training, physiotherapy, muscle strength and anorexia nervosa. Results: Five studies were included in the literature review. Four studies compared improvement in muscle strength between experimental and comparison group, which did not perform resistance training, and one study compared improvement in muscle strength only in the experimental group before and after the intervention. In the four studies reviewed, muscle strength improved in people with anorexia nervosa who did resistance exercise. Discussion and conclusion: Resistance training improves muscle strength in people with anorexia nervosa, but it is still rarely practiced in clinical setting. More research would be needed, including larger samples and more male subjects, and also a research that would determine the exact guidelines of resistance training for anorexics so that training would be as safe and effective as possible.
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