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Effects Of Exercise Classes And Subsequent Independent Exercise Practice On Physical Fitness In Older Adults

Falls among older adults are common, costly, and preventable. Stay Active and Independent for Life (SAIL) is a public-domain evidence-based program that emphasizes on strength and balance to prevent falls in older adults. PURPOSE: To evaluate the physical function of older adults participating in the SAIL program over multiple years. METHODS: Data were collected from multiple locations in Washington State that offer the SAIL program. Physical functioning was assessed using the 8-foot up and go test, the 30-second bicep curl test, and the 30-second chair stand test. A total of one hundred and forty-nine participants completed the baseline assessment. One hundred and forty-three individuals completed the test a year after the baseline assessment, but declined in subsequent years. A paired-sample t-test was used to evaluate differences in mobility and strength between baseline and the first year of participation in the SAIL program. A repeated-measures ANOVA was used to evaluate differences in functional assessments among years 1 through 5. Significance was set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: After one year of participation, all functional assessments were significantly different (p < 0.01) compared to the baseline measurements. The 8-foot up and go test improved by 8.3% (7.2 ± 2.9 vs. 6.6 ± 2.3), the 30-second bicep curl test increased by 7% (17.1 ± 4.9 vs. 18.3 ± 4.9), and the 30-second chair stand test improved by 12.2% (13.9 ± 5.2 vs. 15.6 ± 5.6). During the five years post baseline, the average time to complete the 8-foot up and go test was less than 7 seconds, but there were no significant (p > 0.05) differences among years. The average upper body strength for SAIL participants increased for four years. There was a significant (p = 0.04) difference on the number of repetitions completed in 30 seconds between year 3 and year 1 (19.8 ± 5.2 vs. 17.8 ± 4.9). Finally, the average number of chair stands in 30 seconds increased for four years. There was a significantly higher number of repetitions in year 3 compared to year 1 (19.1 ± 7.5 vs. 17.1 ± 6.3; p < 0.01) and to year 2 (19.1 ± 7.5 vs. 17.6 ± 7.6; p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that the SAIL program was successful at maintaining mobility and increasing upper and lower body strength of individuals over 5 years. These results suggest a potential decline in the risk of falling for SAIL participants.