Stair Climbing Exercise Versus Traditional Resistance Exercise

Exercise Training Clinical Trial

Official title:

An Individualized Stair Climbing Program Versus Traditional Resistance Exercise: Effects on Strength, Power, Functional Performance and Cognition in Older Adults

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT05263115
• Other study ID #: S66174
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: February 11, 2022
• Est. completion date: July 30, 2022

Study information

• Verified date: January 2023
• Source: KU Leuven
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

Current evidence suggests resistance exercise as the primary therapeutic strategy to prevent age-related functional decline. The National Strength and Conditioning Association recently stated that a properly designed resistance exercise program should include power exercises performed at higher velocities in concentric movements with moderate intensities. We should be aware that not all older adults are easily motivated to train in unfamiliar gym-based settings with high subscription fees. Therefore, implementation of traditional gym-based resistance exercise at a large scale has been found to be difficult. Interestingly, we have previously shown that the use of high external loads, which implies the need for specific facility memberships, is not necessary to induce neuromuscular gains. This provides strong support for home-based training intervention strategies. Stair climbing or stepping-based exercise constitute a promising avenue to ameliorate the cost-effectiveness and implementation potential of resistance exercise in older adults. Such exercises can induce muscular activation levels similar to high-load resistance exercise and result in similar or even better gains in muscle mass, strength and power compared to slow-speed resistance exercise when properly designed. However, the (neuro)-muscular effects of stair climbing exercise have never been compared to the more optimal power-oriented resistance exercise, which is the primary aim of this study. The secondary aim of this study is to examine if stair climbing exercise also has beneficial effects on cognition.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 46
• Est. completion date: July 30, 2022
• Est. primary completion date: July 30, 2022
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: All
• Age group: 65 Years to 80 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

-

Exclusion Criteria:

• Unstable cardiovascular disease

• Neurological disorders

• Cognitive malfunctioning (MoCA < 24)

• Low level of physical function (SPPB < 7)

• Acute infections/fever

• Severe musculoskeletal problems

• Systematic engagement in (resistance) exercise in the 12 months prior to participation

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Exercise Training

Intervention

Other:
• Resistance Exercise intervention
12-week progressive resistance exercise intervention
• Functional stair climbing and stepping-based exercise intervention
12-week progressive stair climbing and stepping-based exercise intervention

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Belgium	Department of Movement Sciences	Leuven

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
KU Leuven

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Belgium, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	F-V profile	Force-velocity profiling is carried out unilaterally (dominant leg) on the pneumatic leg press device (Leg Press CC, HUR, Kokkola, Finland). The test protocol consists of a maximal isometric test (knee joint angle = 85°, hip angle = 55°; 3 attempts of 3s), followed by explosive concentric leg extensions at gradually increasing loads (unloaded, 15%, 30%, 45%, 60%, 75% of the maximal isometric force, 2-3 attempts per load, and additional single repetitions until one-repetition maximum is reached). Mean velocity of the best trial per load is used to estimate the individual F-v relationship through a linear equation. This F-v relationship will be used to examine the exercise-induced adaptations. F0 (maximal force), v0 (maximal velocity), a (the equation's slope), Pmax (maximal power) and the corresponding v and F at Pmax are used for the analyses.	Change from baseline in F-v profile at 12 weeks
Secondary	Gait speed	The average speed to walk 10m as fast as possible (in m/s)	Change from baseline in gait speed at 12 weeks
Secondary	5-repetition sit-to-stand time	The time (s) needed to perform 5 sit-to-stand transitions.	Change from baseline in sit-to-stand performance at 12 weeks
Secondary	5-repetition sit-to-stand power	The power (watt) needed to perform 5 sit-to-stand transitions.	Change from baseline in sit-to-stand performance at 12 weeks
Secondary	Stair ascent time	The time (s) needed to ascend a flight of stairs.	Change from baseline in stair climbing performance at 12 weeks.
Secondary	Stair ascent power	The power (watt) needed to ascend a flight of stairs.	Change from baseline in stair climbing performance at 12 weeks.
Secondary	Countermovement jump height	Jump height (cm) in a countermovement jump	Change from baseline in countermovement jump height at 12 weeks.
Secondary	MoCA test score	Total score (min 0, max 30, higher scores indicate better performance) on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment test	Change from baseline in Montrial Cognitive Assessment test score at 12 weeks.
Secondary	Digit Span Test score	Total score (min 0, max 30, higher scores indicate better performance) on the Digit Span Test	Change from baseline in Digit Span Test score at 12 weeks.
Secondary	Trail Making Test Time	Total duration (s) needed to complete the Trail Making Test.	Change from baseline in Trail Making Test at 12 weeks.
Secondary	Stroop Test number of words	Total number of words red in 45s in the stroop test.	Change from baseline in Stroop Test at 12 weeks.