Aging, Physical Performance, Sleep Quality
Conditions
Keywords
older adults, exercise, sleep quality, physical performance
Brief summary
This quasi-experimental study evaluated the effects of an 8-week multi-component group exercise program on physical performance and sleep quality among community-dwelling older adults in Taiwan. Participants were recruited from four community care sites in central Taiwan. The intervention group participated in a structured exercise program consisting of aerobic, resistance, balance, and flexibility training conducted at a university-affiliated senior fitness club, while the control group maintained their usual community activities. Primary outcomes included physical performance and sleep quality. Physical performance was assessed using gait speed, chair stand, arm curl, grip strength, balance, and walking tests. Sleep quality was measured using the Chinese version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (CPSQI). Heart rate recovery was evaluated as a secondary outcome. Pre- and post-intervention assessments were conducted to determine the effectiveness of the intervention.
Detailed description
Population ageing increases the importance of interventions that promote healthy ageing and prevent functional decline. Exercise interventions have demonstrated benefits for mobility, muscular strength, balance, cardiovascular health, and quality of life in older adults. However, evidence regarding structured multi-component exercise programs integrated with senior-friendly smart fitness equipment and their effects on sleep quality remains limited. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of an 8-week multi-component group exercise program on physical performance and sleep quality in community-dwelling older adults in Taiwan. The intervention was designed according to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommendations for older adults and incorporated aerobic exercise, resistance training, balance training, and flexibility exercises. Participants in the intervention group attended weekly 100-minute exercise sessions consisting of warm-up activities, whole-body vibration training, treadmill or stationary bicycle aerobic exercise, hydraulic-based isokinetic resistance training, and cool-down exercises. Exercise intensity was monitored using heart rate and session rating of perceived exertion (sRPE). The control group maintained their regular community activities without structured exercise intervention. The primary outcomes were changes in physical performance and sleep quality. Secondary outcomes included heart rate recovery as an indicator of cardiovascular fitness. This study provides evidence regarding the feasibility and effectiveness of community-based multi-component exercise programs for older adults.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALMulti-component Group Exercise Program
Participants attended weekly 100-minute supervised exercise sessions including warm-up stretching, aerobic exercise using treadmills and stationary bicycles, whole-body vibration training, resistance exercise using hydraulic isokinetic equipment, and cool-down activities. Exercise intensity was monitored using heart rate and perceived exertion.
Sponsors
Tunghai University
Ministry of Education, Taiwan
Study design
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
Masking
NONE
Intervention model description
Participants from two community care sites were assigned to the intervention group, while participants from two additional community care sites were assigned to the control group. The intervention group participated in an 8-week multi-component exercise program, whereas the control group maintained their usual community activities.
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
65 Years to 90 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Community-dwelling older adults aged 65 to 90 years. * Able to communicate in Mandarin or Taiwanese. * Able to participate in exercise activities. * Provided written informed consent.
Exclusion criteria
* Contraindications to exercise, including recent myocardial infarction, acute cardiovascular events, acute infection, or renal disease symptoms. * Use of ambulatory assistive devices. * Regular physical activity exceeding 150 minutes per week. * Positive responses indicating elevated exercise risk on the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q).
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Time to Walk 4 Meters | Baseline and week 8 | Time required to walk 4 meters at usual pace. Gait speed is expressed in meters per second (m/s). |
| Chair Stand Test | Baseline and week 8 | The Chair Stand Test assesses lower-body muscle strength by measuring the time required for participants to complete five chair stands consecutively with arms crossed over the chest. |
| 30-second Arm Curl Test | baseline and week 8 | The 30-second Arm Curl Test assesses upper-body muscle endurance by counting the number of arm curls completed within 30 seconds using a dumbbell weighing 2.27 kg for women and 3.63 kg for men. |
| Grip Strength Test | baseline and week 8 | The Grip Strength Test assesses hand muscle strength using a hand dynamometer. Participants perform maximal grip force with the dominant hand, and the measured force is recorded in kilograms. |
| Side-by-Side Stand Test | baseline and week 8 | The Side-by-Side Stand Test assesses static balance by measuring the participant's ability to maintain a side-by-side standing position without assistance. |
| Tandem Stand Test | baseline and week 8 | The Tandem Stand Test assesses static balance by measuring the length of time participants can maintain a heel-to-toe standing position, up to a maximum of 10 seconds. |
| 2.44-meter Timed Walk Test | baseline and week 8 | The 2.44-meter Timed Walk Test assesses mobility and dynamic balance by recording the time required for participants to stand up from a seated position, walk 2.44 meters around a cone, and return to the chair. |
| Sleep Quality | Baseline and week 8 | Sleep quality was assessed with the Chinese version of Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (CPSQI), a validated translation of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). It includes nine self-reported items scored across seven domains: subjective sleep quality, latency, duration, habitual efficiency, sleep disturbances, use of sleep medication, and daytime dysfunction, all assessed over the past month. Scores range from 0 to 21, with scores greater than 5 indicating poor sleep quality. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Heart Rate Recovery | Week 1 and Week 8 | Heart rate recovery (HRR) was assessed two minutes after treadmill exercise and defined as the difference between heart rate immediately post-exercise and at two minutes recovery. |
Countries
Taiwan
Contacts
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORYi-Ling Tseng, MSN
Tunghai University
Participant flow
Recruitment details
Participants were recruited from four community care sites near a university-affiliated senior fitness club in central Taiwan between May 2024 and December 2024. Recruitment announcements and study briefings were conducted on-site. Eligible participants were community-dwelling older adults aged 65 to 90 years who regularly attended health promotion activities at these community care sites. The two community care sites that first reached recruitment targets were assigned to the intervention group
Pre-assignment details
Four community care sites were allocated to study arms. Two sites were assigned to the multi-component group exercise program and two sites were assigned to routine community activities. All eligible participants within each site received the intervention assigned to their site.
Baseline characteristics
| Characteristic | — |
|---|---|
| Age, Continuous | 78 years |
| Chronic disease history No chronic diseases | 2 Participants |
| Chronic disease history One chronic disease | 12 Participants |
| Chronic disease history Three or more chronic diseases | 10 Participants |
| Chronic disease history Two chronic diseases | 12 Participants |
| Education level High School and above | 10 Participants |
| Education level Junior school | 7 Participants |
| Education level Primary school and below | 39 Participants |
| Marital status having a spouse/partner | 77 Participants |
| Marital status not having a spouse/partner | 2 Participants |
| Perceived health status Dissatisfied | 40 Participants |
| Perceived health status Satisfied | 15 Participants |
| Perceived health status Very dissatisfied | 3 Participants |
| Perceived health status Very Satisfied | 3 Participants |
| Race and Ethnicity Not Collected | 0 Participants |
| Region of Enrollment Taiwan | 80 Participants |
| Residence Living alone | 69 Participants |
| Residence Living with spouse/children | 11 Participants |
| Sex: Female, Male Female | 31 Participants |
| Sex: Female, Male Male | 9 Participants |
Adverse events
| Event type | EG000 affected / at risk | EG001 affected / at risk |
|---|---|---|
| deaths Total, all-cause mortality | 0 / 40 | 0 / 40 |
| other Total, other adverse events | 0 / 40 | 0 / 40 |
| serious Total, serious adverse events | 2 / 40 | 1 / 40 |
Outcome results
None listed