A Novel Mat Exercise Program Improves Functional Fitness, Activity Levels, and Quality of Life in Older Adults

The Title Used in the Study Protocol: Professor

In this study, investigators recruited older adults aged 60 to 80 years and utilized a parallel experimental design. A total of 32 participants were randomly assigned to either the experimental or control group. The intervention consisted of a 70-min-long exercise game-based mat training session conducted twice weekly for 10 consecutive weeks. Each session included a 10-min warm-up, approximately 45 min of primary training, and a 15-min cool-down and stretching routine. Participants completed the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and the World Health Organization Quality of Life questionnaire (WHOQOL, Taiwanese Version) before and after the intervention. Additionally, the functional fitness assessment were conducted.

Study Overview

• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Conditions: Quality of Life; Physical Activity; Functional Fitness
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: The group-based mat exercise training on experimental group.; Behavioral: The control group

Detailed Description

The mat-based exercise facility (Stampede, Taipei, Taiwan) assists participants in exercise training by incorporating interactive light and sound effects to guide users through various exercises while progressively increasing intensity. The training program is divided into two phases: the first phase focuses on fundamental movements, whereas the second phase introduces more advanced exercises. With progress, additional exercise equipment is incorporated, along with increased sets, duration, movement variations, and training intensity. Training sessions can be conducted in a simple, progressive manner or a game-competitive format. Throughout the training, participants wore a heart rate monitor (ALATHEC Obeat1, Taichung, Taiwan) that recorded their exercise intensity and heart rate fluctuations. However, the exercise intensity and frequency were adjusted based on participants' adaptation. This study encompassed five different lighting modes, namely all light on, circle on, four corners, two lines, and diamond. Each mode was paired with different training protocols and movement patterns, supplemented by training equipment, such as medicine balls, resistance bands, and balance pads.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 32
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Taiwan
  • Taipei, Taiwan, 112303
    • National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

(i) Elderly individuals (aged 60-80) who have not experienced any muscle or skeletal injuries in the past month and are able to participate in training normally.

(ii) Completion of the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire and meeting the conditions for initiating moderate-intensity exercise intervention.

(iii) Ability to comply with the exercise frequency required by this study and travel to and from the training site independently.

Exclusion Criteria:

(i) individuals with severe musculoskeletal disorders, (ii) individuals deemed unsuitable for exercise training based on a Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire evaluation or psychiatric disorders, and (iii) individuals under medications that may influence study outcomes.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: The implementation of novel exercise mat training program; The mat-based exercise facility (Stampede, Taipei, Taiwan) assists participants in exercise training by incorporating interactive light and sound effects to guide users through various exercises while progressively increasing intensity.Participants were randomly assigned to either the experimental or control group. The experimental group underwent a 10-week-long exercise game-based mat training, consisting of two sessions per week (70 min/session), using group-based exercise training.	Behavioral: The group-based mat exercise training on experimental group.; The training program is divided into two phases: the first phase focuses on fundamental movements, whereas the second phase introduces more advanced exercises. With progress, additional exercise equipment is incorporated, along with increased sets, duration, movement variations, and training intensity. Training sessions (10-week duration) can be conducted in a simple, progressive manner or a game-competitive format.The control group maintained their usual daily activities.
Active Comparator: Active control; The control group maintained their usual daily activities as active comparator.	Behavioral: The control group; The control group maintained their usual daily activities.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
International Physical Activity Questionnaire	The questionnaire was applied to evaluate the physical activities. The duration of activity will be converted into metabolic equivalents (METs), with higher MET values indicating a greater level of physical activity.	The evaluation was conducted at baseline and the 11th week time points.
World Health Organization Quality of Life questionnaire	The questionnaire was applied to evaluate the quality of life. A self-assessment will be conducted for different dimensions of quality of life, with higher values indicating greater satisfaction in that particular dimension.	The evaluation was conducted at baseline and the 11th week time points.
Senior fitness	The regular physical fitness was evaluated by indicated senior fitness test. This fitness test measures the number of repetitions performed within a specific time frame, with higher values indicating better fitness. However, for dynamic balance, a shorter time indicates better performance.	The evaluation was conducted at baseline and the 11th week time points.
Functional fitness	The functional fitness was evaluated by sport technology-based AFAscan fitness assessment. This fitness test measures the number of repetitions performed within a specific time frame, with higher values indicating better fitness.	The evaluation was conducted at baseline and 11th week time points.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Wen-Ching Huang, Ph.D., National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Peng HT, Tien CW, Lin PS, Peng HY, Song CY. Novel Mat Exergaming to Improve the Physical Performance, Cognitive Function, and Dual-Task Walking and Decrease the Fall Risk of Community-Dwelling Older Adults. Front Psychol. 2020 Jul 24;11:1620. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01620. eCollection 2020.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): August 1, 2024
• Primary Completion (Actual): February 28, 2025
• Study Completion (Estimated): June 30, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 12, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 20, 2025
• First Posted (Actual): March 27, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 1, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 26, 2025
• Last Verified: March 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Physical activity; Functional Fitness; Exercise game; Sport Technology; Stampede training
• Other Study ID Numbers: C112161; NSTC (Other Identifier: National Science and Technology Council)

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