The Effect of Unsupervised Home-Based Exercise Training on Physical Functioning Outcomes in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

BACKGROUND

Exercise training such as balance, aerobic, and resistance training is able to improve physical functioning of older adults. Delivering such exercise regimes at home without supervision may be useful for older adults because they do not have to leave their homes.

OBJECTIVE

This systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials aimed to establish the effect of unsupervised home-based exercise training regimes on physical functioning (balance and muscle strength) in older adults.

DATA SOURCES

PubMed, CINAHL, Medline, Google Scholar, and Scopus databases and reference lists of included investigations were searched.

STUDY SELECTION

Thirteen randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of exercise training impact on balance and upper body strength with concurrent control groups were included in the analysis.

RESULTS

Our analyses revealed that in older adults, unsupervised home-based various exercise training was effective in improving measures of proactive balance (mean difference (MD) = -1.37 s; 95% confidence interval (CI), -2.24, -0.51 s; 0.002) and balance test battery (MD: 1.80; 95% CI, 0.46, 3.14 s; 0.009). There were no significant differences between the experimental and control groups for upper body strength ( > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Unsupervised home-based exercise training improves balance in older adults. Future investigations are needed to clarify the mechanisms underlying unsupervised home-based exercise training's effect on this population's physical functioning outcomes.