A Judo-Based Exercise Program to Reduce Falls and Frailty Risk in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Feasibility...

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Exercise Science
• Physical Therapy

Background:

• Community-dwelling older adults (≥65 years) often experience declines in mobility and balance.
• Frailty is a growing concern, increasing the risk of falls and functional decline.
• Supervised exercise programs can mitigate age-related functional impairments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility (recruitment, safety, adherence) of an 8-week Judo-based exercise program.
• To evaluate the program's effects on mobility, balance, physical performance, quality of life, and fear of falling.
• To examine program effects based on participants' frailty status.

Main Methods:

• A pre-post study design involving 17 community-dwelling older adults (mean age 74.3 years).
• An 8-week, twice-weekly, supervised Judo-based exercise program (60 minutes/session).
• Assessments included Timed Up and Go (TUG), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), SF-36, FES-I, and accelerometry.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements were observed in mobility (TUG), balance (BBS), and physical performance (SPPB) (p<0.05).
• Pre-frail participants showed greater mobility improvements than non-frail participants (p=0.020).
• High adherence (≥81.2%) and no serious adverse events were reported; quality of life, fear of falling, and physical activity showed no significant changes.

Conclusions:

• The 8-week Judo-based exercise program is safe and feasible for older adults, including those at risk of frailty.
• The program effectively improves physical function, potentially preventing falls and frailty.
• Close supervision and program individualization are key for safety and effectiveness.