The Effects of Home-based Bench Step Exercise on Aerobic Capacity, Lower Extremity Power and Static Balance in Older Adults

Abstract

‹Objective› To examine the effects of a twelve-week home-based bench step exercise program on aerobic capacity, lower extremity power and static balance in elderly subjects. ‹Methods› Thirty-eight elderly men and women participated in this study (age: 75±4 years, mean±SD). The subjects were randomly assigned, according to the area in which they resided, into either the exercise group (EG: 11 men, 8 women) or the control group (CG: 14 men, 5 women). The EG performed a 12-week home-based bench step exercise program (7 sessions/week, 20-30 minutes/session, bench height 15.0-20cm). They recorded the length of exercise and their physical condition. Before and after the intervention a sub-maximum bench step test, a leg extension power test and a one-leg balance test with eyes open (balance test) were performed to assess the subjects' aerobic capacity, as determined by the lactate threshold (LT), as well as lower extremity power and static balance ability. ‹Results› The LT (3.9 (3.2, 4.9) vs. 5.4 (4.8, 5.6) METs; p<0.01) and leg extension power (7.1 (6.2, 9.9) vs. 10.3 (7.2, 13.7)watts/kg; p<0.05) significantly increased while the balance test (9 (4, 25) vs. 16 (6, 35)) sec; p<0.1) also tended to increase in the EG. Conversely, these parameters did not significantly change in the CG (4.5 (3.9, 5.1) vs. 4.9 (4.3, 5.5) METs; 7.4 (6.7, 12.5) vs. 8.1 (7.3, 12.5) watts/kg, 17 (8, 50) vs. 11 (6, 20) sec, neither N. S.) Based on the diary data, the subjects in the EG exercised an average of 164±56 minutes/week for twelve weeks. ‹Conclusion› This study showed that a bench step exercise program effectively improved not only aerobic capacity but also lower extremity power and static balance ability in elderly subjects.