International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · Dec 31, 2022

Bridging the Gap between Research and the Community: Implementing Physical and Cognitive Interventions to Improve Spontaneous Walking Speed in Older Adults

By Pothier K, Kaushal N, Vrinceanu T et al.

The application of interventions to enhance mobility in ecological settings remain understudied. This study was developed to evaluate the feasibility of training methods in a community centre and to evaluate their impact on mobility outcomes. Fifty-four participants were randomized to one of three 12-week training programs (three times/week): aerobic (AE), gross motor abilities (GMA) or cognitive (COG). Feasibility was evaluated by calculating adherence, feedback from participants and long-term participation. The impact of these interventions on mobility was assessed by comparing pre- and post-program on Timed-up-and-go (TUG) and spontaneous walking speed (SWS) performances. Results showed relatively high rates of adherence (85.1%) and long-term participation (66.7%), along with favorable feedbacks. SWS significantly improved in COG (0.10 ± 0.11 m.s⁻¹; p = 0.004) and AE (0.06 ± 0.11 m.s⁻¹; p = 0.017) groups, and TUG performance was maintained in all groups. Results of this feasibility study demonstrated successful implementation of physical and cognitive training programs, encouraging the development of real-world applications.

doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20010762 Open access PubMed 36613083 Interventions