Group exercise can improve participants' mobility in an outpatient rehabilitation setting: A randomized controlled trial
Sherrington, Catherine Pamphlett, Patricia I. Jacka, Jennifer A. Olivetti, Lynnette M. Nugent, Julie A. Hall, Jillian M. Dorsch, Simone Lise Kwan, Marcella Mun-San Lord, Stephen R.
Sherrington, Catherine
Pamphlett, Patricia I.
Jacka, Jennifer A.
Olivetti, Lynnette M.
Nugent, Julie A.
Hall, Jillian M.
Dorsch, Simone Lise
Kwan, Marcella Mun-San
Lord, Stephen R.
Abstract
Objective: To establish the effects of group exercise on mobility and strength. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Setting: Two public hospital outpatient rehabilitation services. Participants: One hundred and seventy-three people (mean age 74.9 years, SD 10.8) with impaired mobility were randomized and 159 people (92%) completed the trial. Interventions: Five-week, twice-weekly `circuit-style' group exercise programme run by a physiotherapist (n = 85) and a no-intervention waiting list control group (n = 88). Main outcome measures: Three aspects of mobility: balance while standing and stepping (Step Test, semi-tandem and tandem stance times); sit-to-stand ability (rate and minimum height) and gait (6-metre and 6-minute walk tests). Lower limb muscle strength (knee flexion and extension). Results: At retest, exercise participants had improved significantly more than their control counterparts on measures of balance while stepping, sit to stand and gait. Exercise participants averaged 1.6 more steps on the 15-second Step Test (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.5 to 2.8, P=0.005), walked an average of 0.12 m/s faster (95% CI 0.05 to 0.2, P=0.002) and took 2.5 fewer steps in 6 metres (95% CI —4.2 to —0.8, P=0.004). Exercise participants also averaged 0.04 more sit-to-stands/second, (95% CI 0.003 to 0.08, P=0.037) and walked an average of 30.9 metres further in 6 minutes (95% CI 9.4 to 52.4, P=0.005). There were no clinically important or statistically significant between-group differences at retest for the measures of strength (knee extension and flexion), balance while standing or minimal sit-to-stand height. Conclusion: This short-duration circuit class programme improved mobility, but not strength.
Keywords
Date
2008
Type
Journal article
Journal
Clinical Rehabilitation
Book
Volume
22
Issue
6
Page Range
493-502
Article Number
ACU Department
School of Allied Health
Faculty of Health Sciences
Faculty of Health Sciences