Effects of physical exercise for elderly patients with physical impairments

Exercise is known to preserve many physiological responses in the healthy elderly, yet those with physical impairments are often discouraged from exercising. The authors studied the effects of a closely supervised exercise program designed specifically for elders with health problems and functional limitations. Tests, selected for their relevance to clinical patient management, included the Self Evaluation of Life Function questionnaire, treadmill performance, and tests of autonomic nervous system and neuromotor functions. Ambulatory volunteers, aged 64 to 83 years, with noncardiac health problems, were randomly assigned to a control group (CG; n = 17) or a 16-week exercise group (EG; 3 hr/wk, n = 18). Nine of the control and 13 of the exercise subjects completed the study. All EG dropouts were due to illness. EG attendance averaged 87%, and subjects trained at a heart rate (HR) of 103 +/- 5 beats/min (SD) (98% of prescription HR). Though EG test responses showed a tendency to improve, none reached statistical significance. This result was affected by the small number completing the study and the variability inherent in such a sample. Though these impaired elderly subjects enthusiastically and safely participated with high attendance and at an exercise intensity adequate to expect benefit, measurable training effects were not demonstrated.