Decline in Age-associated Functional Fitness after a 10 year Peer-instructed Community-based Exercise Program

Abstract

Objective: To determine changes in functionalˆtness of older adults following 10 years of peerinstructed community-based exercise program participation. Subjects: Eighteen participants (65.6±8.3 yr) were assessed at pre-intervention (T1), post-12 weeks (T2), and post-10 years (T3 were measured. After completion of an initial 12-wk of professionally-supervised community-based exercises (aerobic, resistance, ‰exibility and balance), the participants continued the exercises under the guidance of similarly-aged peerinstructors for the next 10 years which consisted of 10 min of warm-up, 30 min of elastic bandbased resistance exercise, 10 min of balance exercise and 10 min of cool-down exercises (excluding any formal aerobic exercises), twice a week at a local community center. Results: Changes in AC (-3.0z), CS (-5.8z), SR (＋7.1z), BS (-49.3z) and UG (-36.2z) over 10 years were not signiˆcant (P＞0.05). However, a signiˆcant (P＜0.05) decline was noted in 12-MW (-18.8 z) and FR (-22.7z) over 10 years. Conclusion: Peer-instructed community-based exercises are useful in attenuating the age-associated decline in muscular strength, ‰exibility, and agility over an extended period of time.