Resistance Training to Optimize Health in Pre-frail Older Adults

NCT ID: NCT02593084

Last Updated: 2018-04-18

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 36 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2016-01-31
• Study Completion Date: 2017-09-30

Brief Summary

Exercise programs, particularly resistance training programs using weights or resistance bands, can help improve or maintain mobility and function in older adults, preserve independent living, and improve quality of life. This study will examine the safety and feasibility of a novel, higher intensity resistance training program in older adults, and compare the effects with standard care, lower intensity training. It is anticipated that both programs will be safe and feasible, but higher-intensity training will lead to greater improvements in quality of life, mobility and strength, which are part of the physical phenotype definition of frailty and markers of mobility disability.

Detailed Description

It is critically important to identify effective strategies to reduce the risk and impact of mobility disability and frailty in older adults. Exercise, particularly resistance training (RT), has the potential to influence a person's ability to navigate around their environment and impact the components of the frailty phenotype which include weakness, physical inactivity, and slowness. Higher training intensities have been used with athletes and younger adults to achieve greater gains in strength, but the feasibility and effectiveness is less established in older persons who exhibit preclinical disability, or are at-risk for mobility decline where conservative protocols are typically employed. Higher intensity RT may be an innovative and effective strategy in preclinical disability pre-frailty to reduce the risk and impact of future frailty and mobility decline.

This study aims to examine: 1) the safety and feasibility of a 12-week higher intensity RT protocol in community dwelling older adults at risk for mobility disability, and 2) the effects of this protocol on walking, balance, muscle strength, quality of life compared to lower intensity RT

It is hypothesized that the higher intensity RT: 1) is safe and feasible for at-risk community-dwelling older adults, 2) more effective in improving walking, balance, muscle strength, and quality of life than lower intensity RT

Conditions

Frail Elderly

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: PREVENTION
• Blinding Strategy: SINGLE

Study Groups

Higher Intensity Resistance Training

Participants will take part in a 12-week higher-intensity resistance training protocol.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Higher Intensity Resistance Training

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Bi-weekly resistance training for 12 weeks using multi-joint movements involving both upper and lower extremities (e.g squats). Participants will perform 3-5 sets of 3-6 repetitions at Rating of Perceived Exertion 8/10. The intervention will be administered by a Physical Therapist or trained fitness professional.

Lower Intensity Resistance Training

Participants will take part in a 12-week lower-intensity resistance training protocol that will serve as the active comparator.

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Lower Intensity Resistance Training

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Bi-weekly resistance training for 12 weeks using single-joint movements involving both upper and lower extremities (e.g leg extension). Participants will perform 3-5 sets of 8-10 repetitions at Rating of Perceived Exertion 5/10. The intervention will be administered by a Physical Therapist or trained fitness professional.

Interventions

Higher Intensity Resistance Training

Bi-weekly resistance training for 12 weeks using multi-joint movements involving both upper and lower extremities (e.g squats). Participants will perform 3-5 sets of 3-6 repetitions at Rating of Perceived Exertion 8/10. The intervention will be administered by a Physical Therapist or trained fitness professional.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Lower Intensity Resistance Training

Bi-weekly resistance training for 12 weeks using single-joint movements involving both upper and lower extremities (e.g leg extension). Participants will perform 3-5 sets of 8-10 repetitions at Rating of Perceived Exertion 5/10. The intervention will be administered by a Physical Therapist or trained fitness professional.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Other Intervention Names

HEaRT; LRT

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• self-reported mobility limitations
• living in the community
• not currently engaged in regular resistance training
• able to follow instructions

Exclusion Criteria

• contraindications for intensive resistance training (e.g. recent cardiovascular event, fracture within the past 12 months)
• musculoskeletal injuries for which intervention participants are receiving concomitant rehabilitation treatments

• Minimum Eligible Age: 60 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Canadian Frailty Network

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

McMaster University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Ada Tang, PT PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

McMaster University

Locations

McMaster University

Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Countries

Canada

Other Identifiers

CAT2015-19

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id