Conclusions The current literature suggests the effectiveness of low-intensity exercise on improved physical and cognitive health for older adults .
It may be a desired intensity level in promoting health among older adults with better compliance , lower risk of injuries , and long-term sustainability
Background It is well known that physical exercise is important to promote physical and cognitive health in older population .
However , inconsistent research findings were shown regarding exercise intensity , particularly on whether low-intensity exercise ( 1.5 metabolic equivalent tasks ( METs ) to 3.0 METs ) can improve physical and cognitive health of older adults .
This systematic review aim ed to fill this research gap .
The objective of this study is to conduct a systematic review of the effectiveness of low-intensity exercise interventions on physical and cognitive health of older adults .
Physical Performance Effects of Low-Intensity Exercise among Clinically Defined High-Risk Elders
Background : Falls are among the leading causes of injuries and deaths . Results from a number of studies have suggested that a community-based exercise program may be effective in improving lower body strength , although some have shown only limited improvements . However , the impact of these programs on gait and balance are equivocal . Further , studies that have specifically targeted deconditioned elderly individuals , rather than individuals drawn from the general community , either showed limited or no improvements in gait and balance . Objective : This study examined the effectiveness of a community-based , short-term , low-intensity exercise intervention strategy on measures of mobility skills , gait and balance , and muscle strength for a clinical ly targeted group of elderly individuals at high risk of falls . Methods : 245 men and women aged 60 years or older were r and omized into either an intervention or control group and received a baseline ( T1 ) assessment . Subjects in the intervention group received up to 24 sessions ( 45 min long ) of low-intensity st and ard exercise modalities tailored to the individual patient over an 8- to 10-week period . At the conclusion of the program , the participants in the intervention group were instructed to continue performing the exercises at home until 1 year after T1 . Measures of physical function and performance were collected for all subjects at three different points of study enrollment . Results : Of the subjects assessed at baseline , 138 ( 56 % ) also had a postintervention assessment ( T2 ) , 128 ( 52 % ) had a 6-month follow-up assessment ( T3 ) , and 105 subjects had assessment s at all time points . Primary analyses were based on the 105 subjects who had assessment s at all time points . Intervention and control subjects did not differ in any of the physical function or performance measures at baseline . Between T1 and T2 , the intervention subjects showed significantly greater improvement than the control subjects on all outcomes , with improvements plateauing for most measures between T2 and T3 . Gait and balance scores continued to improve throughout the study period for both groups of subjects . Conclusions : This easily implemented , low-intensity exercise program may lead to improvements in physical functioning that are retained over the long term and effectively targets a clinical ly defined population of deconditioned elders at high risk of falling and sustaining serious injury
Conclusions The current literature suggests the effectiveness of low-intensity exercise on improved physical and cognitive health for older adults .
It may be a desired intensity level in promoting health among older adults with better compliance , lower risk of injuries , and long-term sustainability
Background It is well known that physical exercise is important to promote physical and cognitive health in older population .
However , inconsistent research findings were shown regarding exercise intensity , particularly on whether low-intensity exercise ( 1.5 metabolic equivalent tasks ( METs ) to 3.0 METs ) can improve physical and cognitive health of older adults .
This systematic review aim ed to fill this research gap .
The objective of this study is to conduct a systematic review of the effectiveness of low-intensity exercise interventions on physical and cognitive health of older adults .