Article

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of a new functional
tasks exercise program, designed to improve functional performance
of community-dwelling older women, by comparing it
with a resistance exercise program.
Design: A 12-week, randomized, single-blind pilot study.
Setting: A community leisure center.
Participants: Twenty-four community-dwelling, medically
stable women (mean age, 74.6
4.8y) were randomized to the
functional tasks exercises (function group) or the resistance
exercises (resistance group). Three participants withdrew from
the study.
Interventions: Exercises were given 3 times weekly for 12
weeks. The functional tasks exercise program aimed to improve
daily tasks in the domains first affected in older adults,
whereas the resistance exercise program focused on strengthening
the muscle groups that are important for functional
performance.
Main Outcome Measures: Participant satisfaction with
the exercises, Assessment of Daily Activity Performance
(ADAP), and, as a secondary outcome, muscle strength and
power.
Results: Exercise adherence was 81% in the function group
and 90% in the resistance group. Participants reported greater
satisfaction with the resistance exercises than with the functional
exercises. The ADAP total score improved with time
(P.001; mean change function group, 7.5U; 95% confidence
interval [CI], 2.1­12.8; resistance group, 2.8U, 95% CI, 0.4
to 5.9), as did isometric knee extensor strength (P.001; mean
change function group, 6.4%; 95% CI, 1.6 to 14.5; resistance
group, 14.4%; 95% CI, 6.4 ­22.2). Testing for differences in
outcomes between the 2 groups showed no statistically significant
differences.
Conclusions: The functional tasks exercise program is feasible
and shows promise of being more effective for functional
performance than a resistance exercise program. A randomized
controlled trial with a larger sample size is needed to test the
difference between the 2 programs.

Langue : ANGLAIS