Comparative Effects of Multicomponent Training Concerning Elastic Band Training on Physical Fitness, Postural Balance, and Health-related Quality of Life in Older Women (RCT)

April 24, 2026 updated by: Pablo Valdés-Badilla, Universidad Católica del Maule

Comparative Effects of Multicomponent Training Concerning Elastic Band Training on Physicalfunctional Fitness, Postural Balance, and Health-related Quality of Life in Older Womean: a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective: To compare the effects of MCT versus EBT on functional fitness, postural balance, and HRQoL in older women. Methods: Single-blind, parallel-group randomized controlled trial lasting 16 weeks (2 sessions/week, 60 min). Twenty

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

This study was a single-blind (assessors), randomized controlled trial with parallel groups, comparing the effects of MCT and EBT. Both groups participated in structured physical activity interventions following a quantitative methodological approach. Participant allocation (ratio 1:1) was performed using an online randomization tool (https://www.randomizer.org) by an investigator not involved in assessments. The methodology followed the CONSORT (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials) guidelines for randomized clinical trials (Turner et al., 2012). The study was registered in the U.S. ClinicalTrials.gov (registration ID: NCT0678002). The interventions lasted 16 weeks and were conducted twice per week on non-consecutive days: Mondays and Wednesdays for the EBT group, and Tuesdays and Thursdays for the MCT group. Each session lasted 60 minutes. The assessed outcomes included general physical fitness (Chair stand, Arm curl, 2-minute step test, Chair sit-and-reach, Back scratch, TUG, and MIHS for dominant and non-dominant sides), postural balance variables (energy and center of pressure velocity in medio-lateral and antero-posterior directions) under eyes-open and eyes-closed conditions and HRQoL. All assessments were performed in the afternoon (between 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.) in a temperature-controlled laboratory, using standardized evaluators to ensure consistency between pre- and post-intervention measurements. During the intervention period, no participants experienced musculoskeletal or cardiorespiratory injuries, and no pain was reported either prior to the assessments or during the training sessions.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
40

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

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Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • individuals over 70 - 75 years of age;
  • the ability to understand and follow contextually appropriate instructions through simple commands
  • independence, defined as a score of at least 43 points on the Preventive Medical Examination for Older People from the Chilean Ministry of Health (in Spanish, EMPAM) (MINSAL, 2012)
  • the ability to comply with at least 85% attendance of the scheduled intervention sessions.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • having any form of disability
  • having musculoskeletal injuries or being under physical rehabilitation that would prevent participation in usual physical activities
  • being permanently or temporarily unable to engage in physical activity.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Triple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Active Comparator: Elastic band training program
EBT was implemented based on previous studies demonstrating its safety and effectiveness for older women. The elastic bands (Ultimate Elastic Resistance Band System Elite, country) was used during the intervention. The elastic bands were color-coded (yellow, red, green, and black), with each color representing a different resistance level used to prescribe and adjust training load.
Behavioral: Elastic band training program
The training program included resistance exercises targeting the major muscle groups of both the upper and lower limbs. Upper-limb exercises consisted of let pulldown, scapular retraction, shoulder abduction, biceps curl, triceps extension, and upright row. Lower-limb exercises included leg press, ankle eversion, ankle dorsiflexion, knee extension, knee flexion, and hip flexion. Participants initiated the program using the lowest resistance level, with progressive increases in training volume throughout the intervention. The progression of training volume followed the same periodization used in the MCT group. During weeks 1 to 4, participants performed three sets of 10 repetitions per exercise with 2-minute rest intervals between sets. Between weeks 5 and 8, volume increased to four sets of 10 repetitions, maintaining the same rest interval. During weeks 9 to 12, participants performed four sets of 12 repetitions, and during weeks 13 to 16, the same volume (4 × 12 repetitions) was main
Experimental: Multicomponent training program
The MCT main phase consisted of a strength training circuit targeting the major muscle groups of the upper limbs (biceps, triceps, deltoids, and latissimus dorsi) and lower limbs (quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteus, and gastrocnemius). The circuit also incorporated exercises designed to improve cardiorespiratory fitness, agility, and postural balance, including both static and dynamic balance tasks. Exercises were performed using body weight and external implements, such as dumbbells, kettlebells, poles, and medicine balls.
Behavioral: Multicomponent training program
During weeks 1 to 4, participants performed three sets of 10 repetitions per exercise with a 2-minute rest interval between sets. Movements were executed at a controlled tempo of approximately 2 seconds during the concentric phase and 4 seconds during the eccentric phase. Between weeks 5 and 8, training volume increased to four sets of 10 repetitions per exercise, maintaining the same rest interval. During weeks 9 to 12, participants performed four sets of 12 repetitions. Finally, during weeks 13 to 16, the training volume (4 × 12 repetitions) was maintained while the rest interval was reduced to 90 seconds in order to increase the training stimulus. Strength training intensity was monitored using the OMNI-Resistance Exercise Scale of Perceived Exertion (Lagally & Robertson, 2006; Petro et al., 2025), with participants maintaining perceived exertion values between 5 and 8, corresponding to moderate-to-vigorous intensity.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Physical fitness
Time Frame: 16 weeks
The Senior Fitness Test was assessed, which provides an evaluation with excellent reliability and easy application. The tests were performed in the following order. The chair stand test was conducted as the initial test in the battery to determine lower limb muscle strength, and the number of repetitions completed in 30 seconds was recorded. The second test was the arm curl test, which measured upper limb muscle strength by counting the number of repetitions completed in 30 seconds while holding a 1.4 kg (3 lb) dumbbell. Then, the 2-minute step test was performed to assess cardiorespiratory fitness, counting the number of knee elevations achieved by each participant, reaching at least a 70-degree angle at the hip joint. Lower limb flexibility was measured in centimeters during the chair sit-and-reach test. The back scratch test was conducted to measure upper limb flexibility, recorded in centimeters. The TUG test was performed to assess agility and dynamic balanc
16 weeks
Go/No-Go task
Time Frame: 16 weeks
Motor inhibition was assessed using a computerized Go/No-Go task administered individually in a quiet, temperature-controlled laboratory environment with standardized lighting conditions. Participants wore noise-cancelling headphones to minimize external distractions. The task was implemented using OpenSesame software and presented on a monitor positioned approximately 60 cm from the participant. Visual stimuli consisted of colored circles (blue and yellow) displayed randomly within a fixed central area on the screen. Participants were instructed to respond as quickly as possible to Go stimuli by pressing the space bar on a keyboard and to withhold their response when a No-Go stimulus appeared. The stimulus-response mapping was counterbalanced across participants to control for potential color-related biases. Feedback for incorrect responses was provided through a brief visual signal displayed at the center of the screen. The task comprised a total of 160 trials
16 weeks
Cognitive status
Time Frame: 16 weeks
Cognitive status was evaluated using the memory, phonetic fluency, and temporal-spatial orientation (by its Spanish acronym, MEFO) survey, a brief and clinically validated screening instrument designed to assess global cognitive status in older people . The MEFO comprises three core domains: episodic memory, assessed through delayed recall tasks; verbal fluency, typically evaluated via category-based word generation; and temporal-spatial orientation, which examines awareness of time-related information. These components are integrated into a composite score that reflects overall cognitive status. Higher scores indicate better cognitive functioning.
16 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
body weight
Time Frame: 16 week
was used to measure body weight, and a stadiometer (Seca 220, Germany; accuracy 0.1 cm) was used to measure bipedal height. In accordance with the guidelines of the International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry (ISAK), all assessments were conducted by a level II anthropometrist certified by ISAK
16 week
Postural balance
Time Frame: 16 weeks
Static postural balance was objectively assessed using a posturographic platform (Artoficio, model Rev0610, Chile), which incorporates load sensors to quantitatively record center of pressure (COP) oscillations. The sampling rate was set to 40 Hz. The following postural balance variables were analyzed: energy, medio-lateral center-of-pressure velocity (ML speed), and antero-posterior center-of-pressure velocity (AP speed), each assessed under eyes-open (EO) and eyes-closed (EC) conditions. Participants were instructed to step onto the platform and maintain a stable foot position without adjusting their stance throughout each trial. Foot position was standardized across participants. Individuals were instructed to stand barefoot with feet placed parallel and hip-width apart (approximately at the level of the anterior superior iliac spines), with heels aligned along a predefined reference line marked on the platform surface. The assessment consisted of three consecutive 30-second condit
16 weeks
Health-related quality of life
Time Frame: 16 weeks
This questionnaire was applied using the Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) second version. It evaluates eight health dimensions: physical function, physical role, body pain, general health, vitality, social function, emotional role, and mental health. The score is obtained by summing the responses, ranging from 0, representing the poorest health status, to 100, representing the best health status
16 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Universidad Católica del Maule

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
University of Talca

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
April 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
May 1, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
June 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
April 24, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
April 24, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
May 1, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
May 1, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
April 24, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • (No. 29-2022)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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