Clinically Meaningful Changes In Mobility After An Exercise Program For Older Adults

Abstract

Aging is associated with a progressive decline in muscle strength and mass, eventually leading to reduced functional ability and disability. Regular physical activity can slow this inevitable decline and promote physical wellbeing, improve physical function and reduce risk of chronic diseases in older adults. However, meaningful improvements in physical function for individuals in response to a training stimulus are often missed when only group effects are considered. PURPOSE: to examine interindividual variation in changes in functional ability in response to a 10-week exercise intervention designed to improve physical function in older adults. METHODS: 97 older adults (age= 72.7 yrs+7.9); BMI=32.3+7.2) completed the 10-week Physical Activity for Seniors for Life (PALS) group exercise and lifestyle behavior change program. 6MW (distance covered in 6 minutes), and UGS (meters/second (m/s) to walk 6 m distance) were measured before and after the exercise program. RESULTS: There was a significant (p<.05) improvement in 6mw and UGS for the group (m=60.2 meters and 0.1045 m/s respectively). For 6mw, 27% did not improve more than 20 meters (>20 meters is small meaningful change), 23% improved between 20 and 50 meters, and 50% improved more than 50 meters (>50 meters is substantial meaningful change). For UGS 38% showed less than 0.05 m/s improvement (0.05 m/s is small meaningful change), 12% improved between 0.05 and 0.1 m/s, and 47% improved more than 0.1 m/s (0.1 m/s is substantial meaningful change). CONCLUSIONS: Consideration of individual variability is important in establishing the clinical meaningfulness of improvements in physical function in response to exercise programs designed for older adults.