Exercise Park Equipment for Improving Physical Function and Physical Activity Levels in the Elderly

Fundacio Salut i Envelliment UAB

Status: Unknown

Conditions: Sedentary Lifestyle

Treatments: Other: Exercise in park equipment

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02375594

FSIE-LAPP-2014

Details and patient eligibility

About

Exercise park equipments for the elderly are designed taking into account the physical and cognitive capabilities and needs of elderly individuals. These equipments are usually built in public spaces, and may be part of public health initiatives to promote active lifestyles in the elderly.

Previous research has provided clear evidence on the short-term efficacy of exercise programs in improving physical function and level of physical activity in community-dwelling elderly. The goal of this randomized clinical trial is to assess whether an exercise intervention conducted in an exercise park equipment is able to achieve sustained improvements in physical function and level of physical activity, that are maintained for at least 3 months after the end of the intervention. The target population are community-dwelling elderly that are insufficiently active.

Enrollment: 88 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 70+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Individuals aged 70 years or more
• Insufficiently active, defined as a person who does not meet the physical activity recommendations of World Health Organization (30 minutes per day of moderate physical activity (including active leisure and travel), 5 days a week; or 30 minutes per day of vigorous physical activity, 3 days a week).

Exclusion criteria

• The individual refers not being able to walk 400 meters in 15 minutes or less without having to sit, lean, use a walker or require the assistance of another person.
• Moderate or severe cognitive impairment (MiniMental <19).
• Serious disease that limits physical activity (heart disease, cancer, chronic respiratory disease, joint replacements in the last 12 months, severe limitations of range of motion).
• Serious mental illness that prevents participation.
• Prescription of neuroleptic medication.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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88 participants in 2 patient groups

Exercise in park equipment

Experimental group

Description:

Participants in the intervention arm will attend a 3-month long program of 2 weekly one-hour exercise sessions in the exercise park equipment, guided by a physical therapist. The sessions will comprise a combination of aerobic, strength, balance and flexibility exercises. Up to 20 participants exercising simultaneously in the equipment under the guidance of an experienced LAPPSET physical therapist.

Treatment:

Other: Exercise in park equipment

Control

No Intervention group

Description:

Participants in the control arm will receive usual advice on healthy habits. During the study, they will be offered to attend the talks on healthy living for elderly periodically organised by their primary care centre (CAP Vallcarca - Sant Gervasi). At the end of the study, they will be invited to an exercise session at the exercise park equipment, conducted by the study physical therapist.