None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
60 participants over 65 years old will be recruited from four senior independent living facilities. They will undergo a pre-exercise test session. In it they will complete a a self administered questionnaire which will include questions on general health and wellbeing, physical activity levels, joint pain levels, sitting behaviours, vitality, and social support. Measurements of blood pressure, height, weight, and waist circumference, hand grip strength will be taken. Functional fitness tests will be administered which will include a 30-second chair-stand test, a 30-second arm-curl test, a 3 meter, up-and go test, and a 6-minute walk test. Daily physical activity levels will be recorded and measured by a small activity monitoring device (accelerometer) worn during 5 consecutive week days by participants. In addition, subjects will fill in a brief activity diary to verify the time the accelerometers were worn. The participants will then be randomised into two groups of up to 8 participants per site. Both groups will exercise outdoors for up to 60 minutes, 3 times weekly, for 12 weeks at a moderate intensity. Exerstrider (registered trademark) walking poles and walking technique will be used in the experimental group. Following the 12 week exercise period, a post exercise test consisting of the same measures as the pre-test will be undertaken.
Interventions
The intervention consists of a pole walking program in which participants will walk with poles, similar to cross country ski poles. Each site will have one group of 10 pole walkers. The intervention group will exercise outdoors for up to 60 minutes, 3 times weekly, for 12 weeks. Intensity will be self-assessed during the exercise sessions using the Borg scale at a level of 3-4 (“moderate”). Qualified exercise instructors who have undergone training in the pole walking technique will instruct the
The intervention consists of a pole walking program in which participants will walk with poles, similar to cross country ski poles. Each site will have one group of 10 pole walkers. The intervention group will exercise outdoors for up to 60 minutes, 3 times weekly, for 12 weeks. Intensity will be self-assessed during the exercise sessions using the Borg scale at a level of 3-4 (“moderate”). Qualified exercise instructors who have undergone training in the pole walking technique will instruct the PW participants in the first session, and subsequently supervise all pole walking exercise sessions.
Sponsors
University of Queensland
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Prevention
Masking
Blinded (masking used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
65 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
older adults
Exclusion criteria
Exercising over 150 mins per week over 5 or more days in the previous week, medical approval to participate in a walking programme denied, unable to speak or understand English , having a shoulder and elbow flexion range of motion (ROM) of less than 90 degrees, having pathological conditions of the upper extremity.
Outcome results
None listed