Functional tasks exercise versus resistance exercise to improve daily function in older women: A feasibility study

doi:10.1016/j.apmr.2004.05.006

Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Volume 85, Issue 12, December 2004, Pages 1952-1961

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2004.05.006 Get rights and content

Abstract

de Vreede PL, Samson MM, van Meeteren NL, van der Bom JG, Duursma SA, Verhaar HJ. Functional tasks exercise versus resistance exercise to improve daily function in older women: a feasibility study.

Objective

To evaluate the feasibility of a new functional tasks exercise program, designed to improve functional performance of community-dwelling older women, by comparing it with a resistance exercise program.

Design

A 12-week, randomized, single-blind pilot study.

Setting

A community leisure center.

Participants

Twenty-four community-dwelling, medically stable women (mean age, 74.6±4.8y) were randomized to the functional tasks exercises (function group) or the resistance exercises (resistance group). Three participants withdrew from the study.

Interventions

Exercises were given 3 times weekly for 12 weeks. The functional tasks exercise program aimed to improve daily tasks in the domains first affected in older adults, whereas the resistance exercise program focused on strengthening the muscle groups that are important for functional performance.

Main outcome measures

Participant satisfaction with the exercises, Assessment of Daily Activity Performance (ADAP), and, as a secondary outcome, muscle strength and power.

Results

Exercise adherence was 81% in the function group and 90% in the resistance group. Participants reported greater satisfaction with the resistance exercises than with the functional exercises. The ADAP total score improved with time (P=.001; mean change function group, 7.5U; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.1–12.8; resistance group, 2.8U, 95% CI, −0.4 to 5.9), as did isometric knee extensor strength (P=.001; mean change function group, 6.4%; 95% CI, −1.6 to 14.5; resistance group, 14.4%; 95% CI, 6.4–22.2). Testing for differences in outcomes between the 2 groups showed no statistically significant differences.

Conclusions

The functional tasks exercise program is feasible and shows promise of being more effective for functional performance than a resistance exercise program. A randomized controlled trial with a larger sample size is needed to test the difference between the 2 programs.

Section snippets

Design

This study is a single-blind, randomized pilot trial and was approved by the Medical Ethics Board of the University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands. Exercise sessions were held at a local leisure center in the Utrecht region from September 2000 to December 2000, and assessments were performed at the Mobility Laboratory of the Department of Geriatric Medicine at the University Medical Center Utrecht. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants after they had read the

Participants

Of the 52 respondents to the advertisement in the newspaper, 44 were considered potentially eligible after screening by telephone. Those eligible to participate received information brochures by mail. Thirty-three of these participants were willing to participate after reading the information and were invited for the medical examination. Two participants failed the examination, one because of an arm fracture 1 week earlier and the other because of a recent depressive illness. Seven participants

Discussion

Our newly developed functional tasks exercise program appears feasible and is well tolerated by women over the age of 70 years living in the community. The drop-out rate of both exercise programs (17% in the function group, 8% in the resistance group) was comparable to that of other exercise studies involving older community-living subjects.11, 12 The high attendance and the results of the satisfaction questionnaire showed the high acceptance for both programs. Overall, the resistance exercise

Conclusions

We showed that the newly designed functional tasks exercise program was feasible and associated with an improvement in functional performance. In comparison to a resistance exercise program, the impact on functional performance was larger, with effect sizes in the range of moderate to large. A study with an adequate sample size is needed to draw more definitive conclusions.

Acknowledgments

We gratefully acknowledge key personnel: exercise instructors Karin Samson, Mark Nieuwenhuisen, and Joke Bruintjes and research assistant Anne Cornelissen.

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ArticlesFunctional tasks exercise versus resistance exercise to improve daily function in older women: A feasibility study

Abstract

Objective

Design

Setting

Participants

Interventions

Main outcome measures

Results

Conclusions

Section snippets

Design

Participants

Discussion

Conclusions

Acknowledgments

Arch Phys Med Rehabil

Physiotherapy

BJOG

Maintaining mobility in late life. 2. Smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, and body mass index

Am J Epidemiol

Aging of human musclestructure, function and adaptability

Scand J Med Sci Sports

The effect of a 12-month exercise trial on balance, strength, and falls in older womena randomized controlled trial

J Am Geriatr Soc

Risk factors for falls among elderly persons living in the community

N Engl J Med

Exercise training and nutritional supplementation for physical frailty in very elderly people

N Engl J Med

Comparative effects of two physical activity programs on measured and perceived physical functioning and other health-related quality of life outcomes in older adults

J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci

ACSM position stand on exercise and physical activity for older adults

Med Sci Sports Exerc

Effects of resistive and balance exercises on isokinetic strength in older persons

J Am Geriatr Soc

Have we oversold the benefit of late-life exercise?

J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci

A randomized controlled trial of a home exercise programme for elderly people with poor mobility

Age Ageing

Effects of resistance training on strength, power, and selected functional abilities of women aged 75 and older

J Am Geriatr Soc

A process-oriented model of human motor behaviortoward a theory-based rehabilitation approach

Phys Ther

Conditions of practice

Resistance training modesspecificity and effectiveness

Med Sci Sports Exerc

Articles
Functional tasks exercise versus resistance exercise to improve daily function in older women: A feasibility study