EXERCISE SPECIFICITY FOR PHYSICAL FRAILTY

在这个国家，随着80岁以上的男性和女性人口的迅速增长，身体虚弱是一个日益严重的问题。身体虚弱是一种复杂的现象，与这种情况有关的因素有许多，包括力量、平衡、灵活性、感觉、有氧能力和运动速度减慢。与身体虚弱相一致的是，在执行日常生活的基本活动时失去独立性，在保留功能上做出妥协，特别是在社区中。越来越多的证据表明，虚弱是缺乏运动的结果，运动可以改变与这种情况相关的因素，增强功能能力。然而，几乎没有关于应用运动来改善身体虚弱的指导方针。虽然确定运动可以减少虚弱的风险因素很重要，但确定运动如何提高虚弱成年人的体能也很重要。该项目的目标是检查三种不同类型的运动作为身体虚弱的改良剂的有效性，以便为从事老年、虚弱成年人工作的临床从业者制定运动和康复指南。本项目的目的也是通过检查每种运动模式对功能能力和与脆弱相关的多种风险因素的影响，确定导致积极变化的机制。具体目标包括：1.比较三种不同的和特定的运动方案对身体虚弱的影响：柔韧/平衡、重量训练、有氧运动。2.确定每种运动方式对已知的与身体虚弱相关的因素的具体影响：有氧能力、力量、运动范围、运动速度和平衡。3.确定每个锻炼项目的收益能否持续3个月。

Physical frailty is a growing problem in this country as the population of men and women over the age of 80 years is burgeoning. Physical frailty is a complex phenomenon with a number of factors associated with the condition including diminished strength, balance, flexibility, sensation, aerobic capacity and slowing of movements. Consistent with physical frailty is a loss of independence in performing fundamental activities of daily living and compromise in remaining function, particularly in the community. There is growing evidence that frailty is the consequence of inactivity and that exercise can modify the factors associated with the condition and, enhance functional capacity. There are, however, few guidelines for the application of exercise for the modification of physical frailty. While it is important to determine that exercise can reduce risk factors for frailty, it is also important to determine how exercise can improve physical capacity in frail adults. The goal of this project is to examine the efficacy of three different types of exercise as modifiers of physical frailty, in order to establish exercise and rehabilitation guidelines for clinical practitioners working with older, frail adults. It is also the intent of this project to determine the mechanisms responsible for positive change by examining the effect of each exercise mode on functional capacity and on the multiple risk factors associated with frailty. Specific aims include: 1. Compare the effects of three separate and specific exercise protocols on physical frailty: Flexibility/balance, Weight- training, Aerobic activity. 2. Identify the specific effects of each exercise mode on factors known to be associated with the development of physical frailty: diminished aerobic capacity, strength, range of motion, movement speed, and balance. 3. Determine if the gains from each exercise program can be sustained for 3 months.