The Effect of a Personalized Exercise Program on Muscle Functional Capacity and Quality of Daily Life: A Randomized Pilot Study.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to examine the effects of a personalized exercise program on muscle functional capacity and daily life activities among individuals of various age groups and health conditions.

METHODS

A total of 169 participants aged between 16 and 94 years with varying health statuses were enrolled. The EN-Dynamic system-comprising progressive resistive exercise equipment and Enraf Nonius' Entrack software-was utilized alongside a newly developed exercise programming software. Maximum functional capacity was measured across 13 distinct muscle groups for each participant. Four different questionnaires were administered pre-intervention to evaluate daily activity levels and disease severity. Based on the collected data, a personalized exercise program was generated using a mathematical formula tailored to each muscle group. The program was applied three times per week for 12 weeks (36 total sessions). Following the intervention, the same measurements and questionnaires were repeated and analyzed statistically.

RESULTS

Data were analyzed using -test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation analysis, and Bonferroni post hoc tests. A statistically significant improvement in muscle functional capacity was found (t(168) = -30.65, < 0.01; 95% CI: [16.95, 19.31]; Cohen's d = 2.35, very large effect size). The questionnaire results also demonstrated substantial reductions (e.g., t(168) = 18.51, < 0.01; Cohen's d = 1.42).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that personalized exercise programs can significantly enhance muscle functional capacity while reducing psychological and physical stress and disease severity. Nonetheless, further controlled and longer-term clinical trials comparing traditional and personalized methods are required to confirm these benefits at the population level.