Effects of an Information and Communication Technology-Based Fitness Program on Strength and Balance in Female Home Care Service Users

Sonja Jungreitmayr,Susanne Ring-Dimitriou,Cornelia Schneider,Birgit Trukeschitz,Siegfried Eisenberg

doi:10.3390/ijerph18157955

Abstract

There is evidence that training for strength and balance prevents decline in physical function in old age when the training is personally instructed. It is an open question whether interventions that deliver training via up-to-date technologies can achieve long-term effects. This study examined the effects of an 8-month fitness training program delivered via information and communication technology (ICT) on lower-body strength and balance in female home care users (n = 72) aged 75 years on average. For statistical analysis, the test group was divided into two subgroups, one who used the program at least 8 times per month (n = 26) and another one who used the program less often (n = 17) compared with a control group that received no exercise program (n = 29). It was found that regular ICT-exercisers exhibited positive effects over time on lower-body strength and balance compared to a decrease in both indicators in irregular exercisers and the control group. The authors see potential in offering exercise programs to people of advanced age via ICT to counteract physical decline in old age.

Highlights

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From an available data set of participants who met predefined eligibility criteria, individuals were randomly selected for the intervention group and matched for the control group
Bonferroni post hoc analysis revealed that the irregular test group (iTG) had higher BMI + 4.9, 95%CI (3,9.5) than rTG, which was statistically significant (p = 0.034) as well as rCG + 5.5, 95% CI (1.0, 10.0) which was a significant difference (p = 0.012), but no other group differences were statistically significant regarding BMI

Summary

Introduction

Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Staying functionally fit, which means having the physical capacity to perform motor tasks safely, independently, without excessive stress in everyday life, is vital for independent living, especially among older adults [1]. Exercise programs that address different components of physical fitness, such as strength as well as balance, prevent the deterioration of physical functions in old age [2]. Evidence-based general recommendations on physical activity (PA) for older adults suggest integrating regular endurance, strengthening, balance, and flexibility exercises into the weekly exercise program, whereas training for strength should be completed at least twice per week [3,4,5,6]

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