Lichtenstein Eric, Morat Mareike, Roth Ralf, Donath Lars, Faude Oliver
Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Department of Intervention Research in Exercise Training, Institute of Training and Computer Science in Sport, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
PeerJ. 2020 Apr 14;8:e8781. doi: 10.7717/peerj.8781. eCollection 2020.
In addition to generally high levels of physical activity, multi-component exercise training is recommended for the maintenance of health and fitness in older adults, including the prevention of falls and frailty. This training often encompasses serial sequencing of balance, strength, endurance and other types of exercise. Exercise training featuring integrative training of these components (i.e. agility training) has been proposed, as it more likely reflects real life challenges like stop-and-go patterns, cutting manoeuvers, turns and decision-making. In this study, we compared the efficacy of an agility-based training to the traditional strength and balance training approach with regard to selected risk factors for falls and frailty.
We trained twenty-seven community-dwelling healthy seniors (16♂; 11♀; age: 69.5 ± 5.3 y; BMI: 26.4 ± 3.7 kg/m) for 8 weeks in a group setting with 3 sessions per week, each lasting 50 minutes. Participants were randomized into either the agility group (AGI; = 12), that used the integrative multi-component training, or the traditional strength and balance group (TSB; = 15). TSB performed balance and strength exercises separately, albeit within the same session. The training of both groups progressively increased in difficulty. Outcomes were static and dynamic balance (single leg eyes open stand, Y-balance test, reactive balance), lower limb (plantar flexion and dorsal extension) and trunk flexion and extension maximum strength and rate of torque development (RTD). In addition, we tested endurance by the six-minute walk test (6MWT). We calculated linear mixed effects models for between-groups comparisons as well as effect sizes (ES) with 95 % confidence intervals.
Small ES in favor of AGI were found for plantar flexion strength (ES > 0.18[-0.27;0.89]) and RTD (ES > 0.43[-0.19;1.36]) as well as trunk extension RTD (ES = 0.35[-0.05;0.75]). No other parameters showed notable between group differences. Compliance was high in both groups (AGI: 90 ± 8% of sessions; TSB: 91 ± 7% of sessions).
Agility-based exercise training seems at least as efficacious as traditional strength and balance training in affecting selected physical performance indicators among community-dwelling healthy seniors. In particular, lower limb and trunk extension explosive strength seem to benefit from the agility training.
除了普遍较高的体力活动水平外，还建议进行多成分运动训练以维持老年人的健康和体能，包括预防跌倒和虚弱。这种训练通常包括平衡、力量、耐力和其他类型运动的系列排序。有人提出了对这些成分进行综合训练的运动训练（即敏捷训练），因为它更有可能反映现实生活中的挑战，如走走停停的模式、切入动作、转弯和决策。在本研究中，我们比较了基于敏捷性的训练与传统力量和平衡训练方法对选定的跌倒和虚弱风险因素的效果。
我们对27名社区居住的健康老年人（16名男性；11名女性；年龄：69.5±5.3岁；体重指数：26.4±3.7kg/m²）进行了为期8周的小组训练，每周3次，每次持续50分钟。参与者被随机分为敏捷组（AGI；n = 12），采用综合多成分训练，或传统力量和平衡组（TSB；n = 15）。TSB分别进行平衡和力量训练，尽管是在同一训练时段内。两组的训练难度都逐渐增加。结果指标包括静态和动态平衡（单腿睁眼站立、Y平衡测试、反应性平衡）、下肢（跖屈和背伸）和躯干屈伸的最大力量以及扭矩发展速率（RTD）。此外，我们通过六分钟步行测试（6MWT）测试耐力。我们计算了组间比较的线性混合效应模型以及效应大小（ES）和95%置信区间。
在跖屈力量（ES > 0.18[-0.27；0.89]）、RTD（ES > 0.43[-0.19；1.36]）以及躯干伸展RTD（ES = 0.35[-0.05；0.75]）方面发现了有利于AGI的小效应大小。其他参数在组间没有显著差异。两组的依从性都很高（AGI：90±8%的训练时段；TSB：91±7%的训练时段）。
在影响社区居住的健康老年人选定的身体表现指标方面，基于敏捷性的运动训练似乎至少与传统力量和平衡训练一样有效。特别是，下肢和躯干伸展爆发力似乎从敏捷训练中受益。
