scholarly journals Promoting Stair Climbing as an Exercise Routine among Healthy Older Adults Attending a Community-Based Physical Activity Program

Sports ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nobuko Hongu ◽  
Mieko Shimada ◽  
Rieko Miyake ◽  
Yusuke Nakajima ◽  
Ichirou Nakajima ◽  
...  

Stair climbing provides a feasible opportunity for increasing physical activity (PA) in daily living. The purpose of this study was to examine the daily walking and stair-climbing steps among healthy older adults (age: 74.0 ± 4.9 years; Body Mass Index (BMI): 22.3 ± 2.5 kg/m2). Participants (34 females and 15 males) attended a weekly 6-month community-based PA program. During the entire program period, daily walking and stair-climbing steps were recorded using a pedometer (Omron, HJA-403C, Kyoto, Japan). Before and after the 6-month program, height, body weight and leg muscle strength were assessed. After the 6-month program, the mean walking and stair-climbing steps in both women and men increased significantly (p ≤ 0.01). Daily stair-climbing steps increased about 36 steps in women and 47 steps in men. At the end of 6 months, only male participants had significant correlation between the number of stair steps and leg muscle strength (r = 0.428, p = 0.037). This study reported that healthy older adults attending the community-based PA program had regular stair-climbing steps during daily living. Promoting stair climbing as an exercise routine was feasible to increase their walking and stair-climbing steps.

2017 ◽  
Vol 49 (5S) ◽  
pp. 2
Author(s):  
Nobuko Hongu ◽  
Mieko Shimada ◽  
Rieko Miyake ◽  
Yusuke Nakajima ◽  
Ichirou Nakajima ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Urs Granacher ◽  
Thomas Muehlbauer ◽  
Gerd Göstemeyer ◽  
Stefanie Gruber ◽  
Markus Gruber

Abstract Background High prevalence rates have been reported for physical inactivity, mobility limitations, and falls in older adults. Home-based exercise might be an adequate means to increase physical activity by improving health- (i.e., muscle strength) and skill-related components of physical fitness (i.e., balance), particularly in times of restricted physical activity due to pandemics. Objective The objective of this study was to examine the effects of home-based balance exercises conducted during daily tooth brushing on measures of balance and muscle strength in healthy older adults. Methods Fifty-one older adults were randomly assigned to a balance exercise group (n = 27; age: 65.1 ± 1.1 years) or a passive control group (n = 24; age: 66.2 ± 3.3 years). The intervention group conducted balance exercises over a period of eight weeks twice daily for three minutes each during their daily tooth brushing routine. Pre- and post-intervention, tests were included for the assessment of static steady-state balance (i.e., Romberg test), dynamic steady-state balance (i.e., 10-m single and dual-task walk test using a cognitive and motor interference task), proactive balance (i.e., Timed-Up-and-Go Test [TUG], Functional-Reach-Test [FRT]), and muscle strength (i.e., Chair-Rise-Test [CRT]). Results Irrespective of group, the statistical analysis revealed significant main effects for time (pre vs. post) for dual-task gait speed (p < .001, 1.12 ≤ d ≤ 2.65), TUG (p < .001, d = 1.17), FRT (p = .002, d = 0.92), and CRT (p = .002, d = 0.94) but not for single-task gait speed and for the Romberg-Test. No significant group × time interactions were found for any of the investigated variables. Conclusions The applied lifestyle balance training program conducted twice daily during tooth brushing routines appears not to be sufficient in terms of exercise dosage and difficulty level to enhance balance and muscle strength in healthy adults aged 60–72 years. Consequently, structured balance training programs using higher exercise dosages and/or more difficult balance tasks are recommended for older adults to improve balance and muscle strength.


Author(s):  
Tzu-Cheng Yu ◽  
Che-Hsien Chiang ◽  
Pei-Tzu Wu ◽  
Wen-Lan Wu ◽  
I-Hua Chu

Using exergaming for exercise training was found to improve physical fitness. Yet, few studies have used the “Xbox Kinect” to examine its effects on physical fitness in healthy middle-aged and older adults. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of 10-weeks of Xbox Kinect training on physical fitness in healthy middle-aged and older adults. Forty participants (average 64.00 ± 4.44 years old, eight males and 32 females) were randomized to either intervention (n = 20) or control group (n = 20). The intervention group played Xbox Kinect three times per week, for an average of 50 min per session for 10 weeks. The control group was instructed to maintain their levels of physical activity. All the participants completed assessments of body composition, muscle strength, flexibility, balance and cardiopulmonary endurance at baseline and after 10-week intervention. After 10 weeks of training, the intervention group showed significant improvements in cardiopulmonary endurance and leg muscle strength. Moreover, there were significant differences between the intervention and control group in changes in aerobic fitness and leg muscle strength. The exergame program effectively improved cardiopulmonary endurance and leg muscle strength in healthy middle-aged and older adults. It could be an alternative to conventional exercise.


Author(s):  
Chisato Hayashi ◽  
Soshiro Ogata ◽  
Tadashi Okano ◽  
Hiromitsu Toyoda ◽  
Sonoe Mashino

Abstract Background The effects of group exercise on the physical function of community-dwelling older adults remain unclear. The changes in lower extremity muscle strength, timed up and go (TUG) time, and the motor fitness scale (MFS), over time, among older adults who expressed a willingness to participate in community-based physical exercise groups, were determined using multilevel modelling. Methods We analyzed data of 2407 older adults between April 2010 and December 2019 from the registry of physical tests of community-based physical exercise groups. We conducted a retrospective cohort study to assess the effect of physical exercise on lower extremity muscle strength, TUG time, and MFS scores. The durations of the exercises were evaluated by frequency of physical test’s participate. Results A deterioration in lower extremity muscle strength was found in the short-term participant group only. However, in the mid-term and long-term participation groups, lower extremity muscle strength showed a trend of improvement. The TUG time and the MFS score were negatively correlated with increasing age in both groups divided by the duration of participation. However, there was a slower rate of deterioration in the long-term participation group. Discussion Lower extremity muscle strength, TUG time, and MFS scores decline with increasing age and there were differences in the slope of deterioration that depended on the duration of participation in community-based group exercise. Conclusion Participation in group exercise improved lower extremity muscle strength, TUG time, and MFS scores of older adults living in a community. The positive effects of group exercise were dependent on long-term participation.


Sensors ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (7) ◽  
pp. 1877
Author(s):  
Rieke Trumpf ◽  
Wiebren Zijlstra ◽  
Peter Haussermann ◽  
Tim Fleiner

Applicable and accurate assessment methods are required for a clinically relevant quantification of habitual physical activity (PA) levels and sedentariness in older adults. The aim of this study is to compare habitual PA and sedentariness, as assessed with (1) a wrist-worn actigraph, (2) a hybrid motion sensor attached to the lower back, and (3) a self-estimation based on a questionnaire. Over the course of one week, PA of 58 community-dwelling subjectively healthy older adults was recorded. The results indicate that actigraphy overestimates the PA levels in older adults, whereas sedentariness is underestimated when compared to the hybrid motion sensor approach. Significantly longer durations (hh:mm/day) for all PA intensities were assessed with the actigraph (light: 04:19; moderate to vigorous: 05:08) when compared to the durations (hh:mm/day) that were assessed with the hybrid motion sensor (light: 01:24; moderate to vigorous: 02:21) and the self-estimated durations (hh:mm/day) (light: 02:33; moderate to vigorous: 03:04). Actigraphy-assessed durations of sedentariness (14:32 hh:mm/day) were significantly shorter when compared to the durations assessed with the hybrid motion sensor (20:15 hh:mm/day). Self-estimated duration of light intensity was significantly shorter when compared to the results of the hybrid motion sensor. The results of the present study highlight the importance of an accurate quantification of habitual PA levels and sedentariness in older adults. The use of hybrid motion sensors can offer important insights into the PA levels and PA types (e.g., sitting, lying) and it can increase the knowledge about mobility-related PA and patterns of sedentariness, while actigraphy appears to be not recommendable for this purpose.


2009 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 480-500 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sophie Laforest ◽  
Anne Pelletier ◽  
Lise Gauvin ◽  
Yvonne Robitaille ◽  
Michel Fournier ◽  
...  

2018 ◽  
Vol 74 (10) ◽  
pp. 1598-1604 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa M Markofski ◽  
Kristofer Jennings ◽  
Kyle L Timmerman ◽  
Jared M Dickinson ◽  
Christopher S Fry ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Essential amino acids (EAA) and aerobic exercise (AE) acutely and independently stimulate skeletal muscle protein anabolism in older adults. Objective In this Phase 1, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial, we determined if chronic EAA supplementation, AE training, or a combination of the two interventions could improve muscle mass and function by stimulating muscle protein synthesis. Methods We phone-screened 971, enrolled 109, and randomized 50 independent, low-active, nonfrail, and nondiabetic older adults (age 72 ± 1 years). We used a 2 × 2 factorial design. The interventions were: daily nutritional supplementation (15 g EAA or placebo) and physical activity (supervised AE training 3 days/week or monitored habitual activity) for 24 weeks. Muscle strength, physical function, body composition, and muscle protein synthesis were measured before and after the 24-week intervention. Results Forty-five subjects completed the 24-week intervention. VO2peak and walking speed increased (p < .05) in both AE groups, irrespective of supplementation type, but muscle strength increased only in the EAA + AE group (p < .05). EAA supplementation acutely increased (p < .05) muscle protein synthesis from basal both before and after the intervention, with a larger increase in the EAA + AE group after the intervention. Total and regional lean body mass did not change significantly with any intervention. Conclusions In nonfrail, independent, healthy older adults AE training increased walking speed and aerobic fitness, and, when combined with EAA supplementation, it also increased muscle strength and EAA-stimulated muscle protein synthesis. These increases occurred without improvements in muscle mass.


2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 125-129 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda Veiga Sardeli ◽  
Marina Lívia Venturini Ferreira ◽  
Lucas do Carmo Santos ◽  
Marília de Souza Rodrigues ◽  
Alfredo Damasceno ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Introduction: Resistance exercise (RE) training is widely recommended for increasing muscle strength and mass in older adults. RE is also a potential stimulus to improve cognitive functions (CF), but the best protocol for this purpose is unknown. Objective: To compare the effects of different RE protocols on CF in the same group of individuals. Methods: Twenty-four older adults were randomized (cross over) to control (CON) and lower limb RE protocols with high load (HL - 80% of 1RM), low load (LL - 30% of 1RM) and LL with blood flow restriction (LL-BFR - 30% of 1RM and 50% BFR). For CF assessment, participants underwent the Stroop test before and after each RE protocol. Results: Reduction in response time for Stroop neutral stimuli was greater after LL (effect size (ES) = -0.92) compared to CON (ES = -0.18) and HL (ES = -0.03), but was not different from LL-BFR (ES = -0.24). The reduced response time was associated with reduced parasympathetic modulation and increased cardiac output across protocols. Conclusion: LL was the most effective RE protocol to improve CF of older adults and a potential beneficial effect of LL-BFR on CF (non-significant) was identified. Therefore, LL resistance exercise appears to stimulate acute cognitive improvements in healthy older adults, probably through exercise-induced optimal autonomic modulation changes. Level of Evidence I; Therapeutic studies-Investigating the results of treatment.


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