Personalized multicomponent exercise programs using smartphone technology among older people: protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Background Optimal application of the recently updated World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for exercise in advanced age necessitates an accurate adjustment for the age-related increasing variability in biological age and fitness levels, alongside detailed recommendations across a range of motor fitness components, including balance, strength, and flexibility. We previously developed and validated a novel tool, designed to both remotely assess these fitness components, and subsequently deliver a personalized exercise program via smartphone. We describe the design of a prospective randomized control trial, comparing the effectiveness of the remotely delivered personalized multicomponent exercise program to either WHO exercise guidelines or no intervention. Methods Participants (n = 300) are community dwelling, healthy, functionally independent, cognitively intact volunteers aged ≥65 at low risk for serious fall injuries, assigned using permuted block randomization (age/gender) to intervention, active-control, or control group. The intervention is an 8-week program including individually tailored exercises for upper/lower body, flexibility, strength, and balance (dynamic, static, vestibular); active-controls receive exercising counselling according to WHO guidelines; controls receive no guidance. Primary outcome is participant fitness level, operationalized as 42 digital markers generated from 10 motor fitness measures (balance, strength, flexibility); measured at baseline, mid-trial (4-weeks), trial-end (8-weeks), and follow-up (12-weeks). Target sample size is 300 participants to provide 99% power for moderate and high effect sizes (Cohen’s f = 0.25, 0.40 respectively). Discussion The study will help understand the value of individualized motor fitness assessment used to generate personalized multicomponent exercise programs, delivered remotely among older adults. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04181983

Alexa, let's train now! — A systematic review and classification approach to digital and home-based physical training interventions aiming to support healthy cognitive aging

“…This systematic review has contributed important insights into the effects of digital and home-based physical training interventions on cognitive performance, and it will be complemented by upcoming homed-based physical training studies planning to utilize digital databases 86 , 174 , 175 and online classes. 83 , 172 Nonetheless, additional high-quality studies will be required to obtain a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of the influence of digital and home-based physical training interventions on cognitive performance outcomes.…”

“…Eleven studies were retrieved from websites (e.g., platforms such as ResearchGate), 75 , 76 , 77 , 78 , 79 , 80 , 81 , 82 , 83 , 84 , 85 and 6 more were retrieved via a search for further publications by specific authors. 51 , 86 , 87 , 88 , 89 , 90

Fig. 2 Flow chart with information about the search, screening, and selection processes that led to the identification of relevant articles included in this systematic review.

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“… 51 , 77 , 79 , 80 , 81 , 84 , 87 , 88 , 89 Study design: We excluded studies that were not original articles (e.g., study protocols). 82 , 83 , 86 …”

Exercise Training in Elderly Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review

“…Prospectively, telemedicine approaches are effective and safe in elderly cancer patients with the increasing contribution of artificial intelligence [ 113 , 114 ]. However, more attention should be paid to the sociability and social networks of patients, particularly in the last decades of life and in independent patients.…”

A Literature Review of High-Tech Physiotherapy Interventions in the Elderly with Neurological Disorders

“…Furthermore, the incorporation of exercise programs that are delivered remotely through smartphones revealed promising data regarding the advantages of remote fitness applications for delivering customized exercise programs for adults aged >65 years [ 129 ]. The utilization of smartphone technologies and virtual assistant technologies (i.e., iPad, Alexa) to deliver customized multicomponent exercise programs for older adults is continuously evaluated with promising evidence from short-term perspectives or larger randomized trials [ 130 , 131 , 132 , 133 , 134 ].…”