Effect of a high-intensity functional exercise program on functional balance : preplanned subgroup analyses of a randomized controlled trial in residential care facilities

• OBJECTIVES: To evaluate whether age, sex, depression, dementia disorder, nutritional status, or level of functional balance capacity influences the effect of a high-intensity functional weight-bearing exercise program on functional balance.DESIGN: Preplanned subgroup analyses of a randomized controlled trial.SETTING: Nine residential care facilities.PARTICIPANTS: One hundred ninety-one people aged 65 to 100 dependent in activities of daily living and with Mini-Mental State Examination scores of 10 or greater.INTERVENTION: A high-intensity functional weight-bearing exercise program or a control activity, each comprising 29 sessions over 3 months.MEASUREMENTS: Functional balance capacity was assessed blindly using the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. The BBS consists of 14 tasks, common in everyday life, such as standing up from sitting and, while standing, reaching forward or turning 360°. Interactions between allocation to activity group and each subgroup were evaluated according to the intention-to-treat principle.RESULTS: The subgroup analyses revealed no statistically significant interaction for age, sex, depression, dementia disorder, nutritional status, or level of functional balance capacity at 3 (P=.65,.65,.51,.78,.09,.67, respectively) or 6 (P=.69,.62,.20,.94,.48,.85, respectively) months. In addition, at 3 and 6 months there was no significant interaction for cognitive level (P=.28,.47, respectively) or number of depressive symptoms (P=.85,.49, respectively).CONCLUSION: Older age, female sex, depression, mild to moderate dementia syndrome, malnutrition, and severe physical impairment do not seem to have a negative effect on functional balance from a high-intensity functional weight-bearing exercise program. Consequently, people with these characteristics in residential care facilities should not be excluded from offers of rehabilitation including high-intensity exercises.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Sjukgymnastik (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Physiotherapy (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

exercise

frail elderly

postural balance

randomized controlled trial

residential facilities

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