Older Women’s Health: Protocol for a Randomized Trial Involving Power Training and Resistance Training with Elastic Bands

ABSTRACT Context Despite the benefits of exercise for older people’s health, there is little research on exercise with elastic bands and arterial stiffness and hemodynamic markers, specifically for older women. Such research is important because women tend to live longer than men and comprise most of the older adult population. Objective The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of different protocols with elastic bands on older women’s arterial stiffness, hemodynamic markers, functional parameters, and body composition. Design The study will be a randomized controlled trial. Setting This study focuses on the possibilities of low-cost and easily accessible training to improve arterial stiffness and hemodynamic markers in older women. Participants Participants will be 30 older women (≥65 yr). Intervention The women will be randomly assigned to either a dynamic power training plus endurance training group (DPTG) ( n = 15) or dynamic traditional resistance training plus endurance training group (DRTG) ( n = 15). Training will be performed twice a week over 12 wk using moderate-intensity elastic bands. Sessions will include seven exercises performed continuously in a circuit-like format. DRTG will use 2 s of movement velocity for both the concentric and eccentric phases of each exercise, whereas DPTG will perform the concentric phase as quickly as possible. DRTG will also perform a squat exercise, whereas DPTG will perform a countermovement jump. Both intervention groups will perform the same volume of moderate-intensity endurance training. Main Outcome Measures The outcome measures will be arterial stiffness and hemodynamic markers (primary outcome), and functional parameters and body composition (secondary outcome). Conclusion Because the intervention requires only elastic bands and a chair, this study protocol can be easily applied. In addition to being low cost, the intervention can be utilized almost anywhere (e.g., in public spaces and rehabilitation centers).