Effectiveness of Chair-Based Exercises and Cognitive Training With Synchronous Telerehabilitation Method in Healthy...

The aim was to investigate the effectiveness of chair-based exercises and cognitive training with synchronous telerehabilitation in healthy older adults and to compare chair-based exercises with a brochure.

The study included 27 healthy older adults aged 65 and over (intervention group n: 16, control group n: 11). The intervention group received chair-based exercises and cognitive training as synchronous telerehabilitation, while the control group received chair-based exercises as a brochure. Chair-based exercises were performed 2 days a week and cognitive training 1 day a week for 8 weeks. Hodkinson Mental Test, Mini-Mental State Examination, chair-stand test, timed up and go test, dual task timed up and go test, Berg Balance Scale, dominant side single leg stand test, Geriatric Depression Scale-Short Form, Successful Aging Scale and older people's quality of life-brief (OPQOL-Brief) were assessed. All evaluations were made pre and post treatment.

In the intervention group, there was a significant difference in Hodkinson Mental Test (p: 0.017), Mini-Mental State Examination (p: 0.006), Berg Balance Scale (p: 0.007) and chair-stand test (p: 0.026). In the control group, there was a significant difference in Hodkinson Mental Test (p: 0.020), timed up and go test (p: 0.025), dual-task timed up and go test (p: 0.012) and Successful Aging Scale (p: 0.041). The groups had no superiority over each other in any parameter (p > 0.05).

Chair-based exercises can increase cognitive functions and lower extremity functions in healthy older adults in both synchronous online telerehabilitation and brochure methods. However, the groups were not superior to each other. Cognitive training applied once a week was insufficient to create an effect in 8 weeks.

ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT06302101.