Effects of the Otago Exercise Program on Lower Extremity Strength in Residents of a Long-Term Care Institution

Abstract

Falls are a very common problem in older adults. Improving lower extremity muscle strength is the primary objective of fall-prevention programs. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of the Otago Exercise Program (OEP) on the lower extremity muscle strength of residents living in a long-term care institution. In this repeated measurement study, participants were allocated into either the experimental group (EG) or the control group (CG). All of the participants maintained normal activities, and EG participants were additionally enrolled in a 6-month group OEP led by a physiotherapist. The OEP, comprising warm-up exercises, strength training, balance training, and walking training, requires about 45 minutes per session, 3 times a week. A total of 78 OEP sessions were performed during the 6-month intervention. A 30-Second Sit-to-Stand Test and lower extremity muscle strength measurements were performed at baseline, after 3 months, and after 6 months. The twenty participants in this study had a mean age over 80 years and were recruited from a long-term care institution in southern Taiwan. There were ten participants in each group, and the mean total OEP session attendance for EG participants was 92.8%. Although the EG had lower extremity muscle strength than the CG at baseline, the EG had achieved significant improvements in the muscle strength values for the knee extensor, knee flexor, ankle plantar flexors, and dorsiflexors after 6 months (group x time interaction, p < .05). In addition, the results of the 30-second sit-to-stand test for the EG were poor at baseline and significantly better after 6 months, while the results for the CG worsened between baseline and 6 months. The results of this study support that participating in a group-based OEP three times per week over 6 months effectively improves lower extremity muscle strength in older adults. Therefore, OEP should be incorporated into fall-prevention programs organized in long-term care institutions.