Stair Climbing Exercise Versus Traditional Resistance Exercise

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Exercise Training
• Interventions: Other: Resistance Exercise intervention; Other: Functional stair climbing and stepping-based exercise intervention

• Registration Number: NCT05263115
• Lead Sponsor: KU Leuven

Brief 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.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2022-02-11
• Study First Submitted: 2022-02-11
• Study First Submitted QC: 2022-02-21
• Study First Posted: 2022-03-02
• Primary Completion: 2022-07-30
• Study Completion: 2022-07-30
• Status Verified: 2023-01
• Last Update Submitted: 2023-01-20
• Last Update Posted: 2023-01-23

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 46

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

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Resistance exercise	Resistance Exercise intervention	12-week progressive power-oriented resistance exercise program on leg press machine
Functional stair and stepping-based exercise	Functional stair climbing and stepping-based exercise intervention	12-week progressive functional weight-bearing stair and stepping-based exercise program

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
F-V profile	Change from baseline in F-v profile at 12 weeks	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.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Gait speed	Change from baseline in gait speed at 12 weeks	The average speed to walk 10m as fast as possible (in m/s)
5-repetition sit-to-stand power	Change from baseline in sit-to-stand performance at 12 weeks	The power (watt) needed to perform 5 sit-to-stand transitions.
Countermovement jump height	Change from baseline in countermovement jump height at 12 weeks.	Jump height (cm) in a countermovement jump
5-repetition sit-to-stand time	Change from baseline in sit-to-stand performance at 12 weeks	The time (s) needed to perform 5 sit-to-stand transitions.
Stair ascent power	Change from baseline in stair climbing performance at 12 weeks.	The power (watt) needed to ascend a flight of stairs.
Digit Span Test score	Change from baseline in Digit Span Test score at 12 weeks.	Total score (min 0, max 30, higher scores indicate better performance) on the Digit Span Test
Stroop Test number of words	Change from baseline in Stroop Test at 12 weeks.	Total number of words red in 45s in the stroop test.
Stair ascent time	Change from baseline in stair climbing performance at 12 weeks.	The time (s) needed to ascend a flight of stairs.
Trail Making Test Time	Change from baseline in Trail Making Test at 12 weeks.	Total duration (s) needed to complete the Trail Making Test.
MoCA test score	Change from baseline in Montrial Cognitive Assessment test score at 12 weeks.	Total score (min 0, max 30, higher scores indicate better performance) on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment test

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Department of Movement Sciences; 🇧🇪 Leuven, Belgium