Effects of Personal Training on Body Composition and Physical Fitness in Older Adults with DLSD

Abstract

Exercise treatment is recommended for older patients with lumbar spine diseases that result in degeneration of muscles and the skeletal system and a resultant decline in function. However, it is often difficult for patients to exercise by themselves and assistance from an exercise professional can be valuable to maintain health status and improve quality of life. PURPOSE: This study was designed to evaluate the effect of personalized exercise instruction on changes in body composition, physical fitness and pain management in older adults with degenerative lumbar spinal disorders (DLSD). METHODS: Three individuals (Rangeage=66-78 yrs), who no prior experience with a personal trainer and who reported chronic low back pains for more than 12 weeks, participated in the study. This study was conducted by a researcher and a professional personal trainer who had more than 10 years’ experience in the personal training area. The data was collected by employing a single-subject, ABA repeated measure design. In addition, schematic analysis was utilized to visualize the changes of participants’ body composition, physical strength and rating of perceived pain. A paired t-test using SPSS WIN 20.0 was employed to examine before-and-after differences for key outcome measures. RESULTS: The results showed that muscle mass was increased and body fat mass and central obesity were decreased at the end of phase B, which coincided with the period of supervision by the personal trainer. Additionally, there were statistically significant changes in strength of upper and lower extremity, cardiovascular endurance, upper and lower body flexibility and the rating of perceived pain. CONCLUSIONS: This study resulted in better understanding of the role for individualized instruction by exercise professionals for older adults with degenerative lumbar spinal disorders. Furthermore, the results may have some applicability to the design and implementation of future personal training programs for seniors with similar conditions.