title: Randomized controlled trial to evaluate effectiveness of exercise therapy (Takizawa Program) for frail elderly.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although exercise therapy intervention for frail elderly people was not of great interest in the past, it has recently drawn attention as a method to prevent and improve conditions requiring care since the enforcement of the Long-Term Care Insurance Law and the revision of the long-term care insurance system. This randomized controlled trial was performed to evaluate the effects of exercise therapy using the Takizawa Program.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this randomized controlled trial, we evaluated the effects of exercise therapy on the frail elderly, including those who need a high level of care, in terms of two factors: the range of motion and the functional independence measure. The subjects were 145 females admitted to special nursing homes for the elderly. They were stratified according to their care levels and randomly assigned to either the exercise therapy intervention group or the control group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The range of motion values in the flexions of both shoulders, the right knee extension, and the dorsal flexions of both ankles significantly increased only in the exercise therapy intervention group. The functional independence measure score did not improve in the exercise therapy intervention group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Exercise therapy should be used for the frail elderly requiring a high level of care.
authors: Department of Physical Therapy, School of Health Science, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, 1398 Shimami-cho, 950-3198, Niigata, Japan, makita@nuhw.ac.jp.
authors: Mitsuyo
authors: M
authors: Makita
authors: Hiroto
authors: H
authors: Nakadaira
authors: Masaharu
authors: M
authors: Yamamoto