Age responses to multicomponent training programme in older adults.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of 9-week multicomponent training on the functional fitness of healthy older adults in different age groups.

Method: Forty-two participants were randomly assigned and stratified by their age group: Training and Control Young Old Groups (TYOG, CYOG) (between 60-73 years), Training and Control Old Groups (TOG, COG) (between 74-86 years). The training programme consisted of three sessions per week of walking, strengthening, and flexibility exercises. A recently developed Functional Fitness Test battery to assess the physical parameters associated with independent functioning in older adults was performed before and after training.

Results: Training caused significant increases in all functional fitness tests in the TYOG and also in the TOG. There was no difference according to the absolute changes between TYOG and TOG due to the training (p>0.05). Training produced a significant improvement in chair sit and reach, arm curl, chair stand and 6 min walk test scores in the TYOG and TOG when they were compared to the control groups (p<0.05).

Conclusion: Multicomponent training can produce substantial increase in functional fitness tests in young old adults and older adults and the rate of restoration of function is approximately similar in the two old age groups.