Abstract
Approaches to and benefits from resistance training for non-compromised older adults are well known. Less is understood about resistance training with pre-frail older adults, and even less information is available on the practical approaches to delivery. Herein, we describe an approach in pre-frail females who undertook a multi-component exercise intervention, inclusive of high-intensity, free-weight, functional resistance training. Capitalizing on the principle of overload is possible and safe for pre-frail females through constant reassurance of ability and adjustments in technique. Making exercise functionally relevant, for example, a squat is the ability to get on and off a toilet, resonates meaning. Older pre-frail females are affected by outside (clinical) influences. The exercise participant, and extraneous persons need to be educated on exercise approaches, to increase awareness, debunk myths, and enhance support for participation. Identification of individuality in a group session offers ability to navigate barriers for successful implementation.
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Acknowledgement
We wish to acknowledge the support from Flaman Fitness™ and the Okanagan Men’s Shed Club for generously donating the exercise equipment, graduate students (Rowan Smart and Sam Kuzyk) and senior undergraduate students (Anup Dhaliwal, Brett Yungen, Savannah Frederick, Paul Cotton and Cydney Richardson), and all the participants involved in this study.
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Funding
Partial funding for this study through the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR) Grant # 385692. The sponsors had no role in the design and conduct of the study; in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; in the preparation of the manuscript; or in the review or approval of the manuscript.
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All participants read and signed a letter of informed consent. Ethical approval was granted by the institutional Research Ethics Board (H16-00712).
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The original data and materials are available through the institutions open access graduate thesis repository https://open.library.ubc.ca/cIRcle/ collections/ubctheses/24/items/1.0353165
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Trial Registration
This study was prospectively registered with ClincalTrials.gov (NCT02952443) on October 31, 2016.
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Bray, N., Jones, G., Rush, K. et al. Practical Implications for Strength and Conditioning of Older Pre-Frail Females. J Frailty Aging 9, 118–121 (2020). https://doi.org/10.14283/jfa.2020.15
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.14283/jfa.2020.15