Community-Based Muscle Power and Traditional Resistance Training to Improve Balance and Prevent Falls in Older Adults Aged 65 to 85

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are investigating how aging affects the nervous and muscular systems, leading to reduced muscle power and balance control, which increases the risk of falls among adults aged 65 and older. The study focuses on older adults with and without a history of falls to evaluate if a community-based exercise program emphasizing muscle power can improve balance recovery and reduce falls compared to traditional resistance training. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of four groups fallers or non-fallers performing either a traditional multi-component exercise program or a muscle power-focused multi-component exercise program. Both programs last 12 weeks with sessions three times per week, including aerobic, balance, and resistance exercises. The muscle power group performs resistance exercises quickly at 50% of their one repetition maximum, while the traditional group performs exercises at a slower pace with higher resistance loads. During the study, participants undergo functional mobility and balance tests, neuromuscular assessments, and questionnaires before, during, and after the intervention, with monthly monitoring of falls and adverse events. Researchers will measure neuromuscular performance, balance, functional mobility, and fall incidence over six months to assess the feasibility, safety, and effectiveness of the exercise programs.

COMMUNITY-BASED POWER TRAINING IN FALLER AND NON-FALLER OLDER ADULTS: A FEASIBILITY AND FALL RISK STUDY.