Effect of Home-Based Exercise Program on Physical Function and Balance in Older Adults With Sarcopenia: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Study
Ekin İlke Şen, Sibel Eyigör, Merve Dikici Yagli, Zeynep Alev Özçete, Tuğba Aydın, Fatma Nur Kesiktaş, Filiz Aydın, Meltem Vural, Nilay Şahin, Ayşe Karan
Abstract
In the prospective, randomized, controlled multicenter study, 100 patients who were clinically diagnosed with sarcopenia were assigned to either a home-based exercise group or a control group. The home-based training program included exercises with gradually increasing intensity comprising posture, stretching and upper- and lower-extremity muscle-strengthening exercises, balance and coordination exercises, and gait training. Before and 3 months after the exercise program, all the patients were evaluated. The 6-min walking test and Berg Balance Scale scores increased significantly after 3 months in the home-based exercise group compared with the controls. There was also a significant decrease in timed up and go test scores and a significant improvement in quality of life in the exercise group compared with the control group. Our findings indicated that a home-based exercise program can have a positive effect on physical function, balance, and quality of life in patients with sarcopenia.