A 4-week, lifestyle-integrated, home-based exercise training programme elicits improvements in physical function and lean mass in older men and women: a pilot study

Cegielski, Jessica; Brook, Matthew S.; Quinlan, Jonathan I.; Wilkinson, Daniel J.; Smith, Kenneth; Atherton, Philip J.; Phillips, Bethan E.

Abstract

Background: Developing alternative exercise programmes that can alleviate certain barriers to exercise such as psychological, environmental or socio-economical barriers, but provide similar physiological benefits e.g. increases in muscle mass and strength, is of grave importance. This pilot study aimed to assess the efficacy of an unsupervised, 4-week, whole-body home-based exercise training (HBET) programme, incorporated into daily living activities, on skeletal muscle mass, power and strength.
Methods: Twelve healthy older volunteers (63±3 years, 7 men: 5 women, BMI: 29±1 kg/m²) carried out the 4-week “lifestyle-integrated” HBET of 8 exercises, 3x12 repetitions each, every day. Before and after HBET, a number of physical function tests were carried out: unilateral leg extension 1-RM (one- repetition maximum), MVC (maximal voluntary contraction) leg extension, lower leg muscle power (via Nottingham Power Rig), handgrip strength and SPPBT (short physical performance battery test). A D3-Creatine method was used for assessment of whole-body skeletal muscle mass, and ultrasound was used to measure the quadriceps cross-sectional area (CSA) and vastus lateralis muscle thickness.
Results: Four weeks HBET elicited significant (p less than 0.05) improvements in leg muscle power (276.7±38.5 vs. 323.4±43.4 W), maximal voluntary contraction (60°: 154.2±18.4 vs. 168.8±15.2 Nm, 90°: 152.1±10.5 vs. 159.1±11.4 Nm) and quadriceps CSA (57.5±5.4 vs. 59.0±5.3 cm2), with a trend for an increase in leg strength (1-RM: 45.7±5.9 vs. 49.6±6.0 kg, P=0.08). This was despite there being no significant differences in whole-body skeletal muscle mass, as assessed via D3-Creatine.
Conclusions: This study demonstrates that increases in multiple aspects of muscle function can be achieved in older adults with just 4-weeks of “lifestyle-integrated” HBET, with a cost-effective means. This training mode may prove to be a beneficial alternative for maintaining and/or improving muscle mass and function in older adults.

Citation

Cegielski, J., Brook, M. S., Quinlan, J. I., Wilkinson, D. J., Smith, K., Atherton, P. J., & Phillips, B. E. (2017). A 4-week, lifestyle-integrated, home-based exercise training programme elicits improvements in physical function and lean mass in older men and women: a pilot study. F1000Research, https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.11894.2

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 26, 2017
• Online Publication Date: Sep 11, 2017
• Publication Date: Sep 11, 2017
• Deposit Date: Dec 11, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Dec 11, 2018
• Journal: F1000Research
• Print ISSN: 2046-1402
• Electronic ISSN: 2046-1402
• Publisher: F1000Research
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.11894.2
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1220909
• Publisher URL: https://f1000research.com/articles/6-1235/v2