Effect of the Exercise Dance for Seniors (EXDASE) Program on Lower-Body Functioning Among Institutionalized Older Adults
Abstract
The authors conducted a randomized control trial to examine the effect of the Exercise Dance for Seniors (EXDASE) program on lower-body functioning among older individuals from residential care facilities in the Czech Republic. Method: Participants were randomly assigned into an experimental or control group.
The experimental group completed a 3-month EXDASE program. Lower-body functioning was assessed using four performance-based measures.
A 2 (group) x 2 (test) general linear model for repeated measures was used to explore whether differences in performance could be attributed to the intervention. Results: The authors found Group x Test interactions for the chair stand test, F(1, 50) = 14.37, p < .001, the 2-minute step test, F(1, 50) = 7.33, p =0.009, the chair sit-and-reach test, F(1, 50) = 5.28, p = .026, and the timed up-and-go test, F(1 44) = 6.59, p =0.014, indicating that the experimental group outperformed the control group from pretest to posttest.
A relatively simple dance-based exercise can support lower-body functioning in previously sedentary, frail older adults