Effects Of A 12-week Self-managed Exercise Program On Fatigability In Older Adults

Abstract

Aging is associated with greater fatigability and reduced participation in physical activity. Exercise training in older adults has been associated with a number of health benefits; however, less is known about the effects of self-managed exercise on perceived and performance fatigability. PURPOSE: Compare the effects of a 12-week self-managed exercise program on perceived (PercF) and performance (PerfF) fatigability in a group of unimpaired older adults. METHODS: 28 older adults participated in a self-managed exercise program (15 men and 13 women; age 71.3 ± 4.2 years). The program consisted of educational lectures on aerobic (AT), resistance (RT), and balance (BT) training methods as described by the National Institute of Aging. 17 adults completed the 12-week program in three exercise groups: AT only (n=8), AT/RT (n=5), and AT/RT/BT (n=4). Fatigability was assessed following a standardized 10-minute walk test at a self-selected speed at baseline (PRE) and at the conclusion of the 12-week exercise program (POST). PercF was calculated at the completion of walking by dividing participant-perceived changes in fatigue by the total distance walked in meters. PerfF was calculated as the change in walking velocity (at 2.5 and 10 minutes), divided by the total distance walked. Within-group data were analyzed with a paired t-test and between-group effects using one-way ANOVA. RESULTS: Within the AT and AT/RT groups, significantly lower PerfF was observed at POST (p = .011 and p = .035, respectively) with no differences found in the AT/RT/BT group (p = .437). PercF was unchanged in all groups (AT, p = .50, AT/RT, p = .65, AT/RT/BT, p = .70). No difference was observed between groups for PercF (F (2,14) = 0.443, p = .651) or PerfF (F (2,14) =. 528, p = .601). Further, Cohen’s effect size for changes in PerfF was moderate for AT (d = .48), AT/RT (d = .38), and AT/RT/BT (d =. 38). CONCLUSIONS: Participation in a 12-week self-managed exercise program reduced performance fatigability in unimpaired older adults. However, our results did not reveal specific exercise recommendations for older adults to improve both performance and perceived fatigability. Future studies are needed to investigate the influence of exercise training on measures of fatigability to optimize exercise interventions.