The Effect of Parkour Concept on Functional Mobility in Older Adults

Introduction: One of the limiting factors in the quality of life of seniors is the increased risk of falls. According to the National Institute of Public Health (NIPH), falls occur naturally most often in daily activities. Many types of physical activity have already been tested in relation to fall prevention. We come up with a new type of exercise, modified parkour for older adults. Objective: The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of the Parkour concept on functional mobility in older adults. Patients and Methods: Twenty older adults without cognitive or neurological deficits (> 26 points in the MoCa test) completed a 10-week exercise program. The program included the practice of overcoming obstacles of various shapes and sizes and the practice of fall techniques under the guidance of an instructor. The level of functional mobility was evaluated using the Timed Up and Go test (TUG 1), the Timed Up and Go test Cognitive, and the Timed Up and Go test manual (TUG 3) and functional reach test (Reach) before and after completing the exercise program. Results: Although participants in the parkour intervention program showed good results in the reach test before starting it, they were able to improve significantly. The effect of the parkour concept is not statistically significant for the functional mobility measured by the TUG tests. The difference is small by Cohen’s effect size (d = 0.22 and d=0.26). There was a slight improvement in the functional mobility test without another task (TUG1) and the modified test with another movement task (TUG3). There was no significant change in the modified cognitive test (TUG2). Conclusion: Modified parkour is a new activity that requires more scientific research. For this age group, we consider a positive improvement in any part of physical fitness.