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A Training Program Using an Agility Ladder for Community-Dwelling Older Adults
Published on: March 7, 2020
Flexibility training and functional ability in older adults: a systematic review
Liza Stathokostas1, Robert M D Little, A A Vandervoort
1Canadian Centre for Activity and Aging, School of Kinesiology, The University of Western Ontario, London, 3M Centre 2225, ON, Canada N6A 3K7.
Journal of Aging Research
|December 5, 2012
Summary
Flexibility training may improve range of motion in older adults, but its impact on overall functional ability remains unclear. More research is needed to establish clear guidelines for flexibility interventions in this age group.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Exercise Science
- Rehabilitation Medicine
Background:
- Exercise interventions are known to maintain or improve functional abilities in older adults.
- The specific role of flexibility training in functional ability maintenance or improvement is less understood.
- A consensus on flexibility training prescription for older adults is currently lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review the effects of flexibility-specific training interventions on functional outcomes in healthy older adults (aged 65+).
Main Methods:
- A systematic review of 22 intervention studies identified through searches of five electronic databases.
- Studies focused on concepts related to aging, flexibility, functional outcomes, and training interventions.
Main Results:
- Flexibility-specific interventions showed potential effects on range of motion (ROM) outcomes.
- Conflicting information exists regarding the relationship between flexibility interventions and functional outcomes or daily functioning.
Conclusions:
- Due to varied intervention protocols, body parts studied, and outcome measurements, definitive recommendations for flexibility training in older adults cannot be made.
- Further investigation is required to determine the validity and efficacy of flexibility training as a supplement to other exercises or as a standalone intervention for enhancing functional ability.
