Using Mölkky for Community-dwelling Older Adults

NCT ID: NCT07025967

Last Updated: 2025-12-01

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 50 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2024-08-01
• Study Completion Date: 2026-05-31

Brief Summary

Physical activity is known to be a protector against major diseases. However, they usually do closed-skilled types, like jogging, swimming, Tai Chi. Our research showed that older adults benefit more from engaging in open-skilled activities. Mölkky is a Finnish throwing game that is considered an open-skilled activity.

The project investigates the benefits of Mölkky as an open-skilled physical activity and home activity for older adults.

Detailed Description

This study aims to examine the impacts of Mölkky on the overall functioning and psychological well-being of older adults when compared with a traditional home activity, including exercise and cognitive training.

45 older adults aged 60 or above from elderly service centres complete both baseline and post-program assessments. The Mölkky group receives Mölkky training in preparation for a Mölkky tournament, while the home activity group receives conventionally prescribed exercises and cognitive training. Assessments, including physical, cognitive, psychological and quality of life assessments, were conducted twice, at baseline and after 8 weeks.

Conditions

Older Adults Without Any Specific Clinical Condition

Study Design

• Allocation Method: NON_RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: SINGLE

Study Groups

Mölkky group

Participants will join the Mölkky.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Mölkky

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

The Mölkky group participants receive two-hour weekly or bi-weekly Mölkky training sessions at their elderly community centers. In the sessions, participants are divided into two teams, taking turns throwing a wooden pin called the Mölkky to hit 12 smaller skittles. The fallen skittles are placed upright where they landed after each turn. The first team that reaches exactly 50 points wins.

Home activity group

Participants will receive home activities including closed-skilled exercises and cognitive training.

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Home activity

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

The participants in the home program receive weekly visits by social workers, physiotherapists, or occupational therapists at their homes for an activity regime including closed-skilled exercises and cognitive training. The closed-skilled exercises included stretching, elastic band exercises and functional exercises like tandem standing and bridging. Cognitive training included reality orientation, memory exercises, calculation, and mind-body exercises like Baduanjin.

Interventions

Mölkky

The Mölkky group participants receive two-hour weekly or bi-weekly Mölkky training sessions at their elderly community centers. In the sessions, participants are divided into two teams, taking turns throwing a wooden pin called the Mölkky to hit 12 smaller skittles. The fallen skittles are placed upright where they landed after each turn. The first team that reaches exactly 50 points wins.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Home activity

The participants in the home program receive weekly visits by social workers, physiotherapists, or occupational therapists at their homes for an activity regime including closed-skilled exercises and cognitive training. The closed-skilled exercises included stretching, elastic band exercises and functional exercises like tandem standing and bridging. Cognitive training included reality orientation, memory exercises, calculation, and mind-body exercises like Baduanjin.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• aged 60 or above,
• having no known pre-existing impairments that would prevent them from physical exercises, and
• had no known terminal disease leading to a life expectancy of less than one year.

Exclusion Criteria

• cognitive impairment that makes them unable to complete the assessments, and
• a history of significant cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease or musculoskeletal dysfunction or exhibited steady hypertension (160/90 mmHg or above) that places them at risk of participating in an exercise program as determined by the centers

• Minimum Eligible Age: 60 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

LIU Karen

Professor

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Karen Liu

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Locations

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Countries

Hong Kong

Other Identifiers

HongKongPU_Mölkky

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id