Vitality Acupunch Exercise Program for Sarcopenia Older Adults

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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This project was aimed to test the effects of a six-month VA program on the activities of daily living (ADL) and functional fitness of institutional older adults with sarcopenia.

Detailed Description
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A cluster-randomized controlled trial was conducted to test the effects of a six-month VA program on ADL and functional fitness (lung capacity, body flexibility, range of the joint's motion, and muscle endurance) of institutional older adults with sarcopenia. Using convenience sampling, 12 long-term care facilities with 114 older adults were recruited, and then cluster-randomized by the facility to a VA experimental or a control group. The experimental group received the VA program led by certified instructors 3 times per week and 40 minutes per session for six months; the control group continued with their regular daily activities. One pre-test and two post-tests, three months apart, were conducted.

Official Title
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Effects of the Vitality Acupunch Exercise Program on the ADL and Functional Fitness of Sarcopenia Older Adults

Conditions
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Activities of Daily Living, Functional Fitness

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: Vitality acupunch (VA) exercise program
* Other: Control


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: age ≥ 65 years old have been living in the facility for at least three months intact cognitive function with the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire (SPMSQ) score ≥ 8 hand-grip strength < 28 kg for men and < 18 kg for women calf circumference < 34 cm for men and < 33 cm for women Exclusion Criteria: have spinal cord injury have severe cardiovascular or pulmonary diseases have musculoskeletal diseases

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 65 Years
Maximum Age: 100 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Prevention
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Vitality acupunch (VA)<br>The VA program took 40 minutes to complete and included three phases: 1) activating qi and blood (5 movements, 10 minutes): warm-up exercises that allowed the body to accumulate heat and promote flexibility of the joints to loosen up the body, 2) punching meridians (14 movements, 20 minutes): both hands were used to exert a vibrating effect according to the rhythms that stimulate the 14 meridians in the entire body to improve aerobic endurance, and 3) relaxing body and mind (5 movements, 10 minutes): muscle relaxing exercises to rest the body and cease the qi. Participants in the experimental group received the VA program led by the instructors, who were trained and certified by the PI, 3 times per week and 40 minutes per session for 6 months. | Other: Vitality acupunch (VA) exercise program<br>* The VA had three phases and took 40 minutes to complete.<br>|
| Active Comparator: Control<br>Participants in the control group continued with their daily activities as usual. | Other: Control<br>* Participants maintained their daily activities.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Lung capacity | measured by the TruZoneTM Peak Flow Meter | 6 months | 
| Upper body flexibility | measured by the Back Scratch Test | 6 months | 
| Lower body flexibility | measured by the Chair Sit-and-Reach Test | 6 months | 
| Range of joint motion | measured by the goniometry | 6 months | 
| Arm muscle endurance | measured by the Arm Curl Test | 6 months | 
| Leg muscle endurance | measured by the Chair-to-Stand Test | 6 months | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Activities of daily living (ADL) | measured by the Barthel Index. The score of 0-20 means totally dependent; 21-60 means heavily dependent; 61-90 means moderately dependent; 91-99 means mildly dependent; 100 indicates total independence in the ADL of a person. | 6 months |