Clinical trial NCT06944886: Effects of Active Stretching on Cardiovascular Response and Arterial Stiffness in Older Adults With Low Flexibility
Official title: Effects of Active Stretching Exercises on Autonomic Cardiovascular Responses and Arterial Stiffness in Elderly Individuals With Low Flexibility Levels: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Arterial Stiffness
Autonomic Nervous System
Musculoskeletal Diseases
Range of Motion
Keywords: Active static stretching
Arterial stiffness
Autonomic nervous system response
Lower-limb flexibility
Balance control in older adults
Lead sponsor: University of Phayao
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2025-04-25
Enrollment: 80
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 60
Maximum age (years): 80
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Intervention model description: Older adult participants attended an orientation at the SHPH, where a licensed physical therapist provided instruction on active static stretching and breathing techniques. Each participant received an illustrated manual and logbook. The 8-week hybrid program included home-based stretching with one supervised session weekly. Exercises targeted neck, trunk, upper and lower limb muscles (e.g., flexors, extensors, pectorals, triceps, hamstrings, adductors). Movements were done in seated, lying, and standing positions, synchronized with breathing. Each session included a 5-min warm-up, 30 min of stretching, and 5-min cool-down. Participants trained 5 days/week (4 home, 1 group). Community health volunteers provided weekly follow-up.
Primary purpose: BASIC_SCIENCE

Brief summary: A study of the effects of active static stretching exercise in elderly people with poor lower extremity muscle flexibility on autonomic and cardiovascular responses and balance ability.

Detailed description: This study aims to investigate the effects of active static stretching exercises on autonomic nervous system responses, arterial stiffness, and balance ability in elderly individuals with poor flexibility in the lower extremity muscles.

Participants will engage in an 8-week exercise program consisting of active static stretching sessions, focusing on major muscle groups in the lower limbs. The intervention is designed to improve arterial elasticity and heart rate variability (HRV) while enhancing dynamic and static balance performance.

Outcomes will include measures of heart rate variability (HRV), arterial stiffness, and physical performance assessments such as the Timed Up and Go test (TUG), Single-Leg Stance test (SLST), and muscle strength tests. Body composition and flexibility (sit-and-reach test, back scratch test) will also be evaluated.

The study hypothesizes that active static stretching will promote improvements in autonomic regulation and cardiovascular health, as well as increase flexibility and balance control in community-dwelling older adults with reduced lower-limb flexibility.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* - Elderly males and females
* Have a normal body mass index (between 18.5-24.5 kg/m2)
* Be able to follow instructions and willing to participate in the study
* Be able to communicate with the researcher and provide information by themselves (the researcher will read the questions to the volunteers and let the volunteers choose the answers by themselves)
* Be able to walk continuously for at least 10 meters with or without walking aids
* Have low flexibility with a forward lean distance not exceeding the 40th percentile from the sit and reach test according to the American College of Sports Medicine criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

* - Abnormalities such as pain or inflammation of the legs more than 5 points, assessed by (visual analog scale (VAS) \> 5 points)
* Significantly different leg lengths (more than 1.4 centimeters) or abnormalities of joints, including abnormal sensations that affect movement and walking
* Uncontrolled chronic diseases or obstacles to study, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, asthma, neurological diseases such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, skeletal and muscular diseases such as chronic back pain, acute osteoarthritis, sprained ankle
* Vision problems that cannot be corrected by wearing glasses
* Uncorrected hearing Inner ear disturbances that affect balance, such as otitis media

Primary outcomes:
measure: Heart Rate Variability (HRV) Assessment
timeFrame: pre-test, 4weeks and 8 weeks
measure: Timed Up and Go (TUG) Test
timeFrame: pre-test, 4weeks and 8 weeks
measure: Hand Grip Strength Test
timeFrame: pre-test, 4weeks and 8 weeks
measure: Five Times Sit to Stand Test (FTSST)
timeFrame: pre-test, 4weeks and 8 weeks
measure: Single-Leg Stance Test (SLST)
timeFrame: pre-test, 4weeks and 8 weeks
measure: Isometric Strength Assessment
timeFrame: pre-test, 4weeks and 8 weeks
measure: Sit and Reach Test (SRT)
timeFrame: pre-test, 4weeks and 8 weeks
measure: Back Scratch Test
timeFrame: pre-test, 4weeks and 8 weeks
measure: Body Composition Analysis
timeFrame: pre-test, 4weeks and 8 weeks
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Phayao
country: Thailand
facility: Chonticha Kaewjoho
Study officials:
affiliation: University of Phayao
name: Chonticha Kaewjoho, PT, PhD Kaewjoho
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: