title: Aerobic and resistance exercise training program intervention for enhancing gait function in elderly and chronically ill Taiwanese patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to develop an effective exercise training program for enhancing the postural stability and gait function of chronically ill patients to avoid falls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pre training-post-training. Analyses were limited to those randomized to the exercise intervention.
  
  
  METHODS
  The participants were chronically ill patients over 45 years old (47-89 years), of whom 25 completed the 12-week training regimen and assessment in the exercise group, whereas 29 completed the assessment in the control group, suffering from cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, or osteoporosis. The average age of the participants was 67.56 ± 10.70 years in the intervention group. All patients in this study signed institutional review board (IRB) agreements before participating (IRB approval no: FEMH-IRB-101029-E, v. 02, date: 20120429).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results revealed the beneficial effects of regular aerobic and resistance training, which improved in elderly, chronically ill patients. According to our data, most of the gait function measurements exhibited significant differences between the exercise group and control group. The duration of the 'timed up-and-go' test decreased from 7.67 s to 6.76 s (P = 0.00013), and the 'the base of support area' increased from 392.0 cm(2) to 433.2 cm(2) (P = 0.0088). Women attained more significant differences than men in the exercise and control groups (P = 0.0008), and the participants aged 45-65 years had a more satisfactory outcome than those aged > 65 years (P = 0.0109).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Regular exercise regimens, such as aerobic, resistance or combination exercise training, enhance the gait function and sense of postural stability in elderly, chronically ill patients. Younger patients attained more positive results than older patients, and women attained more positive results than men. Regular exercise is a means of preventing falls; thus, the government and hospitals should increase promotional measures in aging communities to encourage regular exercise among elderly, chronically ill outpatients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Management Center, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, New Taipei, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Healthcare Administration, Oriental Institute of Technology, New Taipei, Taiwan, ROC. Electronic address: tree1013@gmial.com.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, New Taipei City, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Oriental Institute of Technology, New Taipei City, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Industrial Management, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015444:Exercise; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology; D055070:Resistance Training; D013624:Taiwan; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Aerobic exercise; Chronically ill patients; Elderly; Gait function; Resistance training