Abstract
ABSTRACT
Objective
Older adults constitute a heterogeneous group, and the focus of the individual physical exercise is often subject to the reasoning and experience of healthprofessionals or exercise physiologists who prescribe them. Thus, this is the first effort to explicitly conceptualise the planning of individualised physical exercise training (IPET) for older adults in an outpatient setting and investigate individual exercise preferences.
Design
The concept of IPET was developed by researchers, exercise physiologists and health
professionals from a real-life outpatient setting using an iterative approach. Health indicators assessing aerobic capacity, strength, balance and musculoskeletal pain/discomfort sites form the basis of physical exercise recommendations. A cross-sectional study was conducted
to assess the basis of implementing IPET.
Setting
Outpatient setting.
Participants
We included 115 older adults (70 females) from an outpatient setting with a median age of 74
years.
Outcome measures
Health indicators assessing aerobic capacity, strength, balance and musculoskeletal pain/
discomfort sites were collected and informed the concept of IPET that structures exercise programmes based on the individual citizen’s needs and physical exercise preferences. Exceeding a health indicator cut-point results in exercise content mitigating the risk associated with the health indicator.
Results
We included 115 older adults (70 females) from an outpatient setting median age of 74 years.
Approximately two-thirds of participants exceeded at least one health indicator cut-point for aerobic training. One-third of the participants exceeded the cut-point for upper extremity strength, and almost all participants >99% exceeded the cut-point for lower extremity strength. Approximately two-thirds of the participants exceeded the cut-point for functional/balance training. The most prevalent site of musculoskeletal pain was the lower
extremities. Eight of 20 training combinations were used, clustering the 115 participants primarily in three main training combinations.
Discussion This study shows that older adults vary in physical functioning, indicating that exercise preferences and rehabilitation needs are individual.
Trial registration number NCT04862481.
Objective
Older adults constitute a heterogeneous group, and the focus of the individual physical exercise is often subject to the reasoning and experience of healthprofessionals or exercise physiologists who prescribe them. Thus, this is the first effort to explicitly conceptualise the planning of individualised physical exercise training (IPET) for older adults in an outpatient setting and investigate individual exercise preferences.
Design
The concept of IPET was developed by researchers, exercise physiologists and health
professionals from a real-life outpatient setting using an iterative approach. Health indicators assessing aerobic capacity, strength, balance and musculoskeletal pain/discomfort sites form the basis of physical exercise recommendations. A cross-sectional study was conducted
to assess the basis of implementing IPET.
Setting
Outpatient setting.
Participants
We included 115 older adults (70 females) from an outpatient setting with a median age of 74
years.
Outcome measures
Health indicators assessing aerobic capacity, strength, balance and musculoskeletal pain/
discomfort sites were collected and informed the concept of IPET that structures exercise programmes based on the individual citizen’s needs and physical exercise preferences. Exceeding a health indicator cut-point results in exercise content mitigating the risk associated with the health indicator.
Results
We included 115 older adults (70 females) from an outpatient setting median age of 74 years.
Approximately two-thirds of participants exceeded at least one health indicator cut-point for aerobic training. One-third of the participants exceeded the cut-point for upper extremity strength, and almost all participants >99% exceeded the cut-point for lower extremity strength. Approximately two-thirds of the participants exceeded the cut-point for functional/balance training. The most prevalent site of musculoskeletal pain was the lower
extremities. Eight of 20 training combinations were used, clustering the 115 participants primarily in three main training combinations.
Discussion This study shows that older adults vary in physical functioning, indicating that exercise preferences and rehabilitation needs are individual.
Trial registration number NCT04862481.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | e075726. |
| Journal | BMJ Open |
| Issue number | 14 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| ISSN | 2044-6055 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Feb 2024 |