WhatsApp Radio Taiso Exercise Program for Adults Aged 60+

March 24, 2026 updated by: Kübra Tuz, Ondokuz Mayıs University

The Effect of the WhatsApp-Based Radio Taiso Exercise Program on Exercise Habits, Physical Performance, and Quality of Life in Individuals Aged 60 and Over

The aim of this research is to examine the contribution of the Radio Taiso exercise program, offered via the WhatsApp application, to the process of establishing exercise habits in individuals aged 60 and over, and to evaluate the effects of this intervention on physical performance and quality of life. The study investigates the usability of WhatsApp, a digital platform, as a support tool in developing exercise habits. Furthermore, it aims to reveal the effects of the traditional Radio Taiso exercise model, widely practiced in Japan, one of the longest-living societies in the world, on the physical performance and quality of life of older adults.

Study Overview

Status

Recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

The aim of this study is to examine the effects of Radio Taiso exercises, conducted via the WhatsApp application, on exercise habits, physical performance, and quality of life in individuals over 60 years of age. Establishing and maintaining regular exercise habits in the elderly is a fundamental component of healthy aging. However, low participation in exercise and difficulties in developing these habits constitute a significant problem. Digital communication tools have the potential to offer supportive and sustainable interventions for health behaviors in the elderly. This study is important because it examines the role of Radio Taiso, a short-duration, low-intensity, and easy-to-learn exercise model, delivered via WhatsApp, a digital platform, in establishing exercise habits. The findings are expected to contribute to the development of accessible and sustainable exercise programs for the elderly. The fact that Radio Taiso exercises, considered one of the secrets to the longevity of the Japanese, one of the longest-living societies in the world, will be applied and evaluated in the Turkish population highlights another important aspect of the study.

Radio Taiso exercises are a full-body exercise program consisting of low-to-moderate intensity, rhythmic, and controlled movements. The exercises do not involve sudden, strenuous, or high-load movements and are tailored to the individual's physical capacity. The program consists of short-duration, equipment-free exercises that can be safely performed on elderly individuals.

The short duration of the Radio Taiso exercises used in this study is important for habit formation, their rhythm is important for memorability, and their WhatsApp-based nature is important for sustainability. The fact that Radio Taiso exercises largely resemble gymnastic movements performed in physical education classes is thought to facilitate the adaptation of elderly individuals to exercise.

WhatsApp is an application that allows smartphone users to send short messages and other media types (such as videos) to their contacts. It also facilitates the creation of groups; this allows multiple users to participate in and follow a chat as a social network. Therefore, the WhatsApp application will be used in our study. All participants in our study will be added to a common chat group. It is known that older adults are positively affected by group interaction. It is thought that having group participants perform 5-minute Radio Taiso exercises for 6 weeks is important in terms of developing a regular exercise habit.

Participants will be enrolled in a 6-week Radio Taiso exercise program delivered via WhatsApp. Physical performance and quality of life measurements will be conducted before and after the intervention. Regular feedback will be collected and recorded during the exercise program. Feedback will be obtained through surveys created via WhatsApp. Details of the study will be explained and tests will be conducted during preliminary interviews with participants. Data collection will be done via WhatsApp. The data collection process will be carried out twice, before and after the study.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

30

Phase

  • 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 Locations

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

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Being 60 years of age or older
  • Being able to use a smartphone and the WhatsApp application
  • Having internet access
  • Being able to walk independently (including using assistive devices)
  • Being able to understand verbal instructions
  • Agreeing to participate in the research voluntarily

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Having undergone major orthopedic surgery within the last 6 months
  • Having uncontrolled cardiovascular disease
  • Having a serious neurological disease that prevents participation in exercise
  • Being unable to exercise due to severe balance disorders or a history of falls

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: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Radio Taiso Group
Participants are taking part in a 6-week Radio Taiso exercise program offered via the WhatsApp application.
Other: Exercise
This study will utilize Radio Taiso exercises. The exercises will be conducted via WhatsApp. The aim of this 5-minute daily program is to instill an exercise habit in individuals over 60 years of age.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
WhatsApp Feedback Questions
Time Frame: 6 weeks

WhatsApp Feedback Questions: These will be conducted to monitor the development and continuity of exercise habits.

Daily WhatsApp message: Did I do the exercise today? ☐ Yes ☐ No Weekly short summary: How many days a week did you do it? (0-7) Questions about Exercises: Was it easy for me to do the exercises? ☐ Yes ☐ No Was the exercise duration appropriate? ☐ Yes ☐ No I consider regular exercise a part of my life. (Score between 0-10) Did you experience pain, dizziness, or falls during exercise? ☐ Yes ☐ No

Open-Ended Questions:

What are your general thoughts about the exercise program? What were the situations that made it easier or harder for you to do the exercises regularly? Do you plan to continue doing these exercises after the workout is finished? Why? What do you think about having your progress monitored via WhatsApp?
6 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Timed up And Go Test
Time Frame: 6 weeks
The TUG test is conducted using a chair and a 3-meter walking area. In the TUG test, the participant is asked to walk a 3-meter distance at their usual pace, standing up from the chair, turning around, walking backward, and then sitting back down in the chair. The test is scored by recording the time it takes for the participant to complete the test in seconds.
6 weeks
30-Second Chair Sit-and-Stand Test
Time Frame: 6 weeks
30-Second Chair Sit-and-Stand Test: In the chair sit-and-stand test, the person is instructed to sit in the middle of the chair with their back straight, feet flat on the floor, and arms crossed in front of their chest (right hand on left shoulder, left hand on right shoulder). The test begins with the command "Start". The participant is asked to perform as many full stand-ups as possible within 30 seconds. The number of full stand-ups performed within 30 seconds constitutes the participant's score.
6 weeks
Short Form-12 (SF-12) Quality of Life Questionnaire
Time Frame: 6 weeks
Short Form-12 (SF-12) Quality of Life Questionnaire: This is the short form of the SF-36 Quality of Life Scale. The SF-12 consists of eight sub-dimensions. Scores from 0 to 100 are used on the scale. Higher scores indicate a higher quality of life.
6 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Ondokuz Mayıs University

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Kübra TUZ BÜYÜK, PhD, Ondokuz Mayıs University

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 (Actual)

March 10, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

May 24, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

May 31, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

March 18, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 24, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

March 27, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

March 27, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 24, 2026

Last Verified

March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 2026-124

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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