2016 Volume 62 Issue Suppl.1 Pages 218-224
Objective: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between physical activity (PA) and locomotive syndrome after a 3-month exercise intervention of walking and stair climbing in elderly Japanese individuals.
Design: Eighteen elderly participants (mean age 68±5 years) were equally assigned to a normal walking and stair climbing (WS) group or a WS and walking with blood flow restriction (WS+BFR) once a week group. Both the groups were instructed to walk at a faster pace than usual for more than 30 min per day and climb more than 5 flights of stairs per day, for more than 4 days per week in the WS group and for more than 3 days per week in the WS+BFR group for 3 months.
Methods: PA was measured using a wristband type acceleration sensor. Locomotive syndrome risk tests (the two-step test, the stand-up test, and 25-question risk assessment) were performed before and after the intervention.
Results: No significant difference was found between the groups considering the PA. Step counts over 3 metabolic equivalents (METs) per day increased by exercise intervention (p=0.014). Increase in vigorous PA (≥6 METs) was positively correlated with the stand-up test score (r=0.490, p<0.05), but not the two-step test score and 25-question risk assessment.
Conclusions: These results suggest that increase in vigorous PA via walking and stair climbing might lead to improving locomotive syndrome risk in elderly Japanese individuals, regardless of walking with blood flow restriction once a week.
