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Home-based video exercise intervention for community-dwelling frail older women: a randomized controlled trial

  • Section on Longitudinal Studies/Clinical Trials
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Abstract

Background and aims: Home-based exercise is a viable solution for frail elderly individuals with difficulties in reaching exercise facilities outside home. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of a home-based video exercise program on physiological performance, functional capacity and health-related quality of life. Methods: Community-dwelling frail women ≥75 yrs, receiving public home care, were randomized into a training group (n=30) and a control group (n=31). Participants exercised for 26 minutes, three times per week for five months. Both groups received a bi-weekly telephone call. The effect of intervention was evaluated by the physical performance test, mobility-tiredness score, maximal isometric handgrip and biceps strength, lower limb explosive power, repeated chair rise (5 times), 10-m maximal walking-speed, semi-tandem balance, and health-related quality of life, as measured by EQ-5D and self-rated health. Results: Twenty-five participants (83%) in the training group and 28 (90%) in the control group completed the project. Adherence to the training protocol was on average 89.2%. At follow-up, between-group analysis revealed a significant difference only in EQ-5D (valued by time-trade-off tariffs), resulting from a significant decrease observed in the control group and a trend towards an increase in the training group (p=0.082). Significant within-group improvements, ranging from 8–35%, were also observed for the physical performance test, mobility-tiredness score, handgrip, biceps strength, chair rise, and 10-m maximal walking-speed in the training group, and for walking-speed and self-rated health in the control group. Conclusions: These results suggest that home-based training for frail older women using an exercise video induces lasting health-related quality-of-life (EQ-5D). In addition, a tendency towards improvements in physiological performance and functional capacity was observed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre of Applied and Clinical Exercise Sciences, Institute of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, Odense, Denmark

    Sonja Vestergaard PhD & Lis Puggaard

  2. Health Economics Research Unit, Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark

    Christian Kronborg

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  1. Sonja Vestergaard PhD
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  3. Lis Puggaard
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Correspondence to Sonja Vestergaard PhD.

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Vestergaard, S., Kronborg, C. & Puggaard, L. Home-based video exercise intervention for community-dwelling frail older women: a randomized controlled trial. Aging Clin Exp Res 20, 479–486 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03325155

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