High-intensity Interval Training Combined with Muscle-strength Training in Older Women
ConditionOlder Adult
Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexFemale
Age60+
SponsorUniversity of Nottingham
About this trial
Women generally live longer than men but often experience a faster muscle mass loss due to inactivity, which can lead to weakness and disability. Despite these risks, women, particularly older women, are less active than men. In England, less than one-third of women engage in sufficient aerobic activity, and less than 5% do enough muscle strength training. Common reasons for not exercising include lack of time and enjoyment.
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is an efficient and effective way to exercise that many women find more enjoyable than longer workouts. HIIT has been shown to be effective in older women, helping them improve their fitness with less time commitment. Because HIIT is time-efficient, it can be combined with muscle strength training without significantly increasing the duration of the exercise session, which may lead to even better fitness results.
This study will assess how practical it is for older women to do HIIT and strength exercise combined training. It will also investigate whether this combined approach can improve overall fitness, muscle strength, aerobic fitness, and quality of life more than HIIT alone.
Eligibility criteria
This trial accepts healthy volunteersQualifiers
Females (biologically at birth)
At least 60 years of age at the time of signing the informed consent
Non-smoker, including electronic cigarettes
Not participating in routine high-intensity aerobic or muscle strength exercise training (≥ 75 min/week of structured vigorous aerobic exercise, or 2 times /week of structured muscle strength training)
Disqualifiers
Diagnosed with cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, diabetes, obstructive pulmonary disease, or uncontrolled hypertension
History or current neurological or psychiatric illness, or motor or cognitive restrictions
Contraindications to symptom-limited cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET), including resting hypertension with systolic blood pressure >200 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure > 110 mmHg, uncorrected medical conditions, such as significant anemia, important electrolyte imbalance, and hyperthyroidism, mental impairment with limited ability to cooperate, physical disability that precludes safe and adequate testing.
Having taken part in a research study in the last 3 months involving invasive procedures or an inconvenience allowance.
Trial design
Design model
Parallel
Treatments tested in this trial
Exercise
BehavioralParticipants will attend 30-min training sessions 3 times a week for 12 weeks. The intensity of HIIT will be at 80% HR@VT2 measured in the first week and will increase to 90% in the second week. By week 3, the intensity will reach HR@VT2.
Treatment groups
20 Participants
are divided into 2 treatment groupsGroup A: aerobic training + muscle strength trainingExperimental treatment 1 intervention
Group B: aerobic trainingActive comparator 1 intervention
Trial outcomes
Primary outcomes
1
Feasibility of high-intensity interval training combined with muscle strength training
will be assessed from recruitment, adherence, compliance, safety, subjective exercise experiences and self-efficacy. Recruitment will be assessed by the proportion of patients remained interested and randomized after being informed of the requirements of the study; adherence will be assessed by the attendance to the prescribed exercise sessions; and compliance will be assessed by the proportion of participants adhering to prescribed exercise intensity. For safety, all mild, moderate, and severe symptoms and adverse events throughout this study will be recorded.
Time frame
From recruitment to week-12Secondary outcomes
1
functional capacity
will be assessed using the Fullerton Functional Fitness Test, a valid and reliable measure of functional independence in older adults
Time frame
From baseline to week-122
muscle function
Isometric strength, isokinetic muscle torque (i.e., strength) and fatigue will be measured using a dynamometer (CYBEX).
Time frame
From baseline to week-123
cardiorespiratory fitness
will be measured by a gold-standard, symptom-limited CPET using metabolic equipment on an electronically braked cycle ergometer.
Time frame
From baseline to week-124
muscle mass
will be measured using ultrasound at the mind-point of the thigh, from the greater trochanter to mid patella.
Time frame
From baseline to week-12Sponsors and contacts
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Source ClinicalTrials.gov