An interventional study of Resistance Exercise intervention and Functional stair climbing and stepping-based exercise intervention in Exercise Training, sponsored by KU Leuven. Completed at 1 site in Belgium. Open to participants aged 65 Years to 80 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2023-01-23.
Sponsored by KU Leuven · Not applicable, Interventional, and Prevention
Current evidence suggests resistance exercise as the primary therapeutic strategy to prevent age-related functional decline. The National Strength and Conditioning Association recently stated that a properly designed resistance exercise program should include power exercises performed at higher velocities in concentric movements with moderate intensities. We should be aware that not all older adults are easily motivated to train in unfamiliar gym-based settings with high subscription fees. Therefore, implementation of traditional gym-based resistance exercise at a large scale has been found to be difficult. Interestingly, we have previously shown that the use of high external loads, which implies the need for specific facility memberships, is not necessary to induce neuromuscular gains. This provides strong support for home-based training intervention strategies. Stair climbing or stepping-based exercise constitute a promising avenue to ameliorate the cost-effectiveness and implementation potential of resistance exercise in older adults. Such exercises can induce muscular activation levels similar to high-load resistance exercise and result in similar or even better gains in muscle mass, strength and power compared to slow-speed resistance exercise when properly designed. However, the (neuro)-muscular effects of stair climbing exercise have never been compared to the more optimal power-oriented resistance exercise, which is the primary aim of this study. The secondary aim of this study is to examine if stair climbing exercise also has beneficial effects on cognition.
KU Leuven is the lead sponsor of 371 studies on the registry; 63 are open to participants now.
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Exclusion Criteria:
12-week progressive power-oriented resistance exercise program on leg press machine
Other: Resistance Exercise intervention
12-week progressive functional weight-bearing stair and stepping-based exercise program
Other: Functional stair climbing and stepping-based exercise intervention
12-week progressive resistance exercise intervention
12-week progressive stair climbing and stepping-based exercise intervention
F-V profile
Force-velocity profiling is carried out unilaterally (dominant leg) on the pneumatic leg press device (Leg Press CC, HUR, Kokkola, Finland). The test protocol consists of a maximal isometric test (knee joint angle = 85°, hip angle = 55°; 3 attempts of 3s), followed by explosive concentric leg extensions at gradually increasing loads (unloaded, 15%, 30%, 45%, 60%, 75% of the maximal isometric force, 2-3 attempts per load, and additional single repetitions until one-repetition maximum is reached). Mean velocity of the best trial per load is used to estimate the individual F-v relationship through a linear equation. This F-v relationship will be used to examine the exercise-induced adaptations. F0 (maximal force), v0 (maximal velocity), a (the equation's slope), Pmax (maximal power) and the corresponding v and F at Pmax are used for the analyses.
Time frame: Change from baseline in F-v profile at 12 weeks
Gait speed
The average speed to walk 10m as fast as possible (in m/s)
Time frame: Change from baseline in gait speed at 12 weeks
5-repetition sit-to-stand time
The time (s) needed to perform 5 sit-to-stand transitions.
Time frame: Change from baseline in sit-to-stand performance at 12 weeks
5-repetition sit-to-stand power
The power (watt) needed to perform 5 sit-to-stand transitions.
Time frame: Change from baseline in sit-to-stand performance at 12 weeks
Stair ascent time
The time (s) needed to ascend a flight of stairs.
Time frame: Change from baseline in stair climbing performance at 12 weeks.
Stair ascent power
The power (watt) needed to ascend a flight of stairs.
Time frame: Change from baseline in stair climbing performance at 12 weeks.
Countermovement jump height
Jump height (cm) in a countermovement jump
Time frame: Change from baseline in countermovement jump height at 12 weeks.
MoCA test score
Total score (min 0, max 30, higher scores indicate better performance) on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment test
Time frame: Change from baseline in Montrial Cognitive Assessment test score at 12 weeks.
Digit Span Test score
Total score (min 0, max 30, higher scores indicate better performance) on the Digit Span Test
Time frame: Change from baseline in Digit Span Test score at 12 weeks.
Trail Making Test Time
Total duration (s) needed to complete the Trail Making Test.
Time frame: Change from baseline in Trail Making Test at 12 weeks.
Stroop Test number of words
Total number of words red in 45s in the stroop test.
Time frame: Change from baseline in Stroop Test at 12 weeks.
This study is completed, as verified in Jan 2023. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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