Effects of the exercise mobile app and distance supervision on the functional performance of the older adults. Protocol of a clinical, randomized, controlled trial.

Abstract

Objective: To check the effects of the exercise mobile app with face-to-face and distance supervision on the functional performance, postural balance, and lower limb strength of older adults. Methods: This is a protocol of a controlled, randomized, and blind clinical trial in which we will recruit older adults of both genders, who will be randomized into two types of training: a control group (exercises using a mobile app with face-to-face monitoring by the therapist) and an experimental group (exercises with a mobile app without face-to-face monitoring by the therapist). The training will be carried out with the free app "Exercício para idosos", which should be installed on the participants' smartphones. The participants should do the proposed exercises three times a week for eight consecutive weeks. The evaluations will be conducted in person pre-training and after the 12th and 24th sessions. Functional performance, postural balance, and lower limb strength will be assessed. The data in each evaluation will be compared as well as the difference between the groups. It is believed that physical exercise apps for older people will benefit both groups by improving functional capacity, postural balance, and lower limbs of older adults.