Use of behavior change techniques in physical activity programs and services for older adults: findings from a rapid review.

BACKGROUND: Understanding behavior change techniques (BCTs) used in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of physical activity programs/services for older adults can help us to guide their implementation in real-world settings. PURPOSE: This study aims to: (a) identify the number and type of BCTs used in physical activity programs/services for older adults evaluated in large, good quality RCTs and (b) explore the impact of different BCTs on different outcome domains. METHODS: This is a secondary data analysis of a WHO-commissioned rapid review of physical activity programs/services for older adults. Fifty-six trials testing 70 interventions were coded for the type and number of BCTs present using a published BCT taxonomy. The proportion of positive effects found from physical activity interventions using the most common BCTs was calculated for the outcomes of physical activity, intrinsic capacity, functional ability, social domain, cognitive and emotional functioning, and well-being and quality of life. RESULTS: Thirty-nine of the 93 possible BCTs were identified in the included trials and 529 BCTs in total (mean 7.6, range 2-17). The most common BCTs were "action planning" (68/70 interventions), "instructions on how to perform a behavior" (60/70), "graded tasks" (53/70), "demonstration of behavior" (44/70), and "behavioral practice/rehearsal" (43/70). Interventions that used any of the most common BCTs showed overwhelmingly positive impacts on physical activity and social domain outcomes. CONCLUSION: Consideration of which BCTs are included in interventions and their impact on outcomes can improve the effectiveness and implementation of future interventions. To enable this, providers can design, implement, and evaluate interventions using a BCT taxonomy.

Interventions aimed at modifying health-related behaviors, such as physical activity, are often complex, with numerous components. To better understand interventions' "active ingredients," we conducted a secondary analysis of a World Health Organization (WHO)-commissioned rapid review, using a behavior change technique (BCT) taxonomy. We aimed to classify the number and types of BCTs in physical activity programs for older adults, as identified in randomized controlled trials (RCTs), and examine their impact on outcomes, including physical activity, intrinsic capacity, functional ability, social domain, cognitive and emotional functioning, and well-being. Examining 56 trials testing 70 interventions, we identified 39 out of 93 possible BCTs, totaling 529 instances across interventions. Common BCTs included "action planning," "instructions on how to perform a behavior," "graded tasks," "demonstration of behavior," and "behavioral practice/rehearsal." Interventions using the 10 most common BCTs demonstrated overwhelmingly positive impacts on physical activity and social domain outcomes. However, these BCTs were not consistently present in interventions yielding positive outcomes in other domains, with greater variation in effects. Our study highlights the significance of identifying both BCTs and desired outcomes when designing physical activity interventions. We advocate for the use of a taxonomy in designing and implementing future programs to maximize effectiveness.

Effects of sport or physical recreation for adults with physical or intellectual disabilities: a systematic review with meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effects of sport or physical recreation on participation, mobility and quality of life for adults living with disabilities. DESIGN: Systematic review with meta-analysis. DATA SOURCES: Six databases searched from inception to May 2022. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Randomised controlled trials including adults living with a physical or intellectual disability, comparing sport or physical recreation to non-active control. RESULTS: Seventy-four trials (n=2954; mean age 55 years) were included. Most (70) trials included people with physical disabilities, none evaluated sport and the most common physical recreation activities tested were traditional Chinese exercise (35%), yoga (27%) and dance (18%). Mean frequency and duration was 65 min/session, two times per week for 13 weeks. Most (86%) interventions were led by people with experience and/or training in the recreation activity, and only 37% reported leader experience and/or training working with people with disabilities. Participation was measured as attendance (mean 81%, 30 intervention groups). Physical recreation improved mobility (standardised mean difference (SMD) 0.38, 95% CI 0.07 to 0.69, n=469) and walking endurance (mean difference (MD) 40.3 m, 95% CI 19.5 to 61.1, n=801) with low certainty evidence and balance (Berg Balance Scale, range 0-56 points; MD 3.4 points, 95% CI 2.3 to 4.4, n=906) and quality of life (physical health; SMD 0.37, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.72, n=468) with very low certainty evidence, but not walking speed (MD 0.03 m/s, 95% CI -0.05 to 0.11, n=486). CONCLUSION: Physical recreation may confer multiple benefits for people living with disabilities regardless of the activity chosen, thus offering a potentially enjoyable and scalable strategy to increase physical activity. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42018104379.

Exercise Interventions Delivered Through Telehealth to Improve Physical Functioning for Older Adults with Frailty, Cognitive, or Mobility Disability: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Introductions: This study assessed the effects of telehealth-delivered exercise interventions on physical functioning for older adults and explored implementation measures related to program delivery. Methods: We conducted a systematic review of studies investigating effects of exercise interventions delivered through telehealth in adults 60+ years of age with frailty, mobility, or cognitive disability on mobility, strength, balance, falls, and quality of life (QoL). Electronic databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL, SPORTSDiscus, and Physiotherapy Evidence Database) were searched from inception until May 2022. Evidence certainty was assessed with Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation and meta-analysis summarized study effects. Results: A total of 11 studies were included, 5 randomized controlled trials, 2 pilot studies, and 4 feasibility studies. The overall certainty of evidence was rated as "low" or "very low." Pooled between-group differences were not statistically significant, but effect sizes suggested that telehealth produced a moderate improvement on mobility (n = 5 studies; standardized mean difference [SMD] = 0.63; 95% confidence interval [CI] = -0.25 to 1.51; p = 0.000, I2 = 86%) and strength (n = 4; SMD = 0.73; 95% CI = -0.10 to 1.56; p = 0.000, I2 = 84%), a small improvement on balance (n = 3; SMD = 0.40; 95% CI = -035 to 1.15; p = 0.012, I2 = 78%), and no effect on QoL. Analysis of implementation measures suggested telehealth to be feasible in this population, given high rates of acceptability and adherence with minimal safety concerns. Discussion: Telehealth may provide small to moderate benefits on a range of physical outcomes and appears to be well received in aged care populations.

Promotion of physical activity by health professionals in a sample of six public hospitals: A cross sectional study.

ISSUE ADDRESSED: Despite strong evidence of physical and mental health benefits from physical activity, participation is low. Physical activity promotion by health professionals can effectively increase physical activity participation. This study aimed to explore the frequency of physical activity promotion by health professionals in public hospitals with a focus on community-based structured exercise; and facilitators and barriers to such promotion. METHODS: We surveyed health professionals (n = 100) from physiotherapy, rheumatology and rehabilitation departments at six public hospitals in Sydney, Australia. RESULTS: Most common respondent characteristics were physiotherapist (84%), female (68%), aged 25-34 years (45%) and treating older adults (45%). Almost all health professionals (94%) considered themselves physical activity role-models. Half (53%) reported promoting physical activity frequently/often to their clients. Those working with children with a physical disability (23%) were more likely to promote physical activity (Relative Risk 1.69, 95% CI 1.13-2.51, p = .03), than those working with adults or older adults. Half the physiotherapists (52%) reported providing tailored advice about increasing physical activity frequently/often, but only 20% provided advice about structured physical activity. Barriers reported by physiotherapists were lack of time (51%) and client's access to transport (61%). CONCLUSION: Only half the health professionals surveyed offered tailored physical activity advice to clients, and advice on structured physical activity was less common. SO WHAT?: Some promotion of physical activity by health professionals is occurring in hospital settings but more work is needed to embed this within clinical care.

The effect of physical activity on health outcomes in people with moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury: a rapid systematic review with meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: In 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) released the first global physical activity and sedentary behaviour guidelines for children and adults living with disability. The evidence informing the guidelines though is not specific to people living with traumatic brain injury (TBI), but rather comes from other disabling conditions such as Parkinson's disease, and stroke. There remains a clear lack of direct evidence of the effects of physical activity for people living with TBI. The objective of this rapid review was to identify direct evidence of the effect of physical activity on health outcomes in people with moderate-to-severe TBI to inform adaptation of the WHO physical activity guidelines into clinical practice guidelines. METHODS: We conducted a rapid systematic review with meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials, including people of any age with moderate-to-severe TBI, investigating physical activity interventions compared to either usual care, a physical activity intervention with different parameters, or a non-physical activity intervention. Four databases (CENTRAL, SPORTDiscus, PEDro, Ovid MEDLINE) were searched from inception to October 8, 2021. The primary outcomes were physical function, cognition, and quality of life. RESULTS: Twenty-three studies were included incorporating 812 participants (36% females, majority working-age adults, time post-TBI in studies ranged from 56 days (median) to 16.6 years (mean)). A range of physical activity interventions were evaluated in rehabilitation (n = 12 studies), community (n = 8) and home (n = 3) settings. We pooled data from the end of the intervention for eight outcomes. Participation in a virtual reality physical activity intervention improved mobility, assessed by the Community Balance and Mobility Scale (range 0 to 96; higher score indicates better mobility) more than standard balance training (two studies, 80 participants, Mean Difference = 2.78, 95% CI 1.40 to 4.16; low certainty evidence). There was uncertainty of effect for the remaining outcomes, limited by small sample sizes, diverse comparators and a wide range of outcome measures. CONCLUSION: This review consolidates the current evidence base for the prescription of physical activity for people with moderate-to-severe TBI. There remains a pressing need for further rigorous research in order to develop practice guidelines to support clinical decision-making when prescribing physical activity in this population.

Implementation of digital health interventions in rehabilitation: A scoping review.

OBJECTIVE: Digital health interventions have potential to enhance rehabilitation services by increasing accessibility, affordability and scalability. However, implementation of digital interventions in rehabilitation is poorly understood. This scoping review aims to map current strategies, research designs, frameworks, outcomes and determinants used to support and evaluate the implementation of digital interventions in rehabilitation. DATA SOURCES: Comprehensive searches from inception until October 2022 of MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, PEDro, SpeechBITE, NeuroBITE, REHABDATA, WHO International Clinical Trial Registry and the Cochrane Library. METHODS: Two reviewers screened studies against the eligibility criteria. Implementation science taxonomies and methods, including Powell et al.'s compilation of implementation strategies, were used to guide analysis and synthesis of findings. RESULTS: The search retrieved 13,833 papers and 23 studies were included. Only 4 studies were randomised controlled trials and 9 studies (39%) were feasibility studies. Thirty-seven discrete implementation strategies were reported across studies. Strategies related to training and educating clinicians (91%), providing interactive assistance (61%), and developing stakeholder interrelationships (43%) were most frequently reported. Few studies adequately described implementation strategies and methods for selecting strategies. Almost all studies measured implementation outcomes and determinants; most commonly, acceptability, compatibility and dose delivered of digital interventions. CONCLUSION: The rigour of implementation methods in the field is currently poor. Digital interventions require carefully planned and tailored implementation to facilitate successful adoption into rehabilitation practice. To keep pace with rapidly advancing technology, future rehabilitation research should prioritise using implementation science methods to explore and evaluate implementation while testing effectiveness of digital interventions.

Economic evaluation of digitally enabled aged and neurological rehabilitation care in the Activity and MObility UsiNg Technology (AMOUNT) trial.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the trial-based cost-effectiveness of the addition of a tailored digitally enabled exercise intervention to usual care shown to be clinically effective in improving mobility in the Activity and MObility UsiNg Technology (AMOUNT) rehabilitation trial compared to usual care alone. DESIGN: Economic evaluation alongside a pragmatic randomized controlled trial. PARTICIPANTS: 300 people receiving inpatient aged and neurological rehabilitation were randomized to the intervention (n = 149) or usual care control group (n = 151). MAIN MEASURES: Incremental cost effectiveness ratios were calculated for the additional costs per additional person demonstrating a meaningful improvement in mobility (3-point in Short Physical Performance Battery) and quality-adjusted life years gained at 6 months (primary analysis). The joint probability distribution of costs and outcomes was examined using bootstrapping. RESULTS: The mean cost saving for the intervention group at 6 months was AU$2286 (95% Bootstrapped cost CI: -$11,190 to $6410) per participant; 68% and 67% of bootstraps showed the intervention to be dominant (i.e. more effective and cost saving) for mobility and quality-adjusted life years, respectively. The probability of the intervention being cost-effective considering a willingness to pay threshold of AU$50,000 per additional person with a meaningful improvement in mobility or quality-adjusted life year gained was 93% and 77%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The AMOUNT intervention had a high probability of being cost-effective if decision makers are willing to pay AU$50,000 per meaningful improvement in mobility or per quality-adjusted life year gained, and a moderate probability of being cost-saving and effective considering both outcomes at 6 months post randomization.

Effect of sport on health in people aged 60 years and older: a systematic review with meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: To summarise evidence of benefits of sport for health among people aged 60+. DESIGN: Systematic review with meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (RCTs). DATA SOURCES: Medline, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, the Physiotherapy Evidence Database from inception to April 2021. STUDY SELECTION: RCTs investigating the effect of sport on health-related outcomes in people aged 60+ compared with non-active control. DATA SYNTHESIS AND ANALYSIS: Pooled effect sizes were calculated using random-effect models. Standardised mean differences (SMD), and mean difference (MD) were calculated. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation system was used to assess the certainty of the evidence for analyses with ≥3 studies. RESULTS: Nine trials (628 participants) reported in 15 articles were included. Participation in sport improved cardiorespiratory fitness (n=5 trials; SMD=0.43, 95% CI 0.17 to 0.70; low certainty evidence), physical function (n=4; SMD=0.62, 95% CI 0.05 to 1.18; very low certainty evidence), and mental health (n=2; SMD=0.28, 95% CI 0.06 to 0.51) and reduced fat mass (n=6; MD=-0.99 kg, 95% CI -1.75kg to -0.23 kg; low certainty evidence) among older people. We found no significant effects of sport on overall physical activity participation, strength, balance, lean mass and bone mineral density (BMD). One study investigating quality of life reported a positive, but non-significant effect of sport. CONCLUSION: Sport may have a positive impact on health outcomes in people aged 60+. There was uncertainty on the effect of sport on strength, balance, lean mass and BMD. Further research is needed to investigate the optimal type and dose of sport to maximise the long-term benefits among older people.

Impact of physical activity programs and services for older adults: a rapid review.

BACKGROUND: Knowledge of which physical activity programs are most effective for older adults in different sub-populations and contexts is limited. The objectives of this rapid review were to: 1) Overview evidence evaluating physical activity programs/services for older adults; and 2) Describe impact on physical activity, falls, intrinsic capacity (physical domain), functional ability (physical, social, and cognitive/emotional domains), and quality of life. METHODS: We conducted a rapid review of primary studies from 350 systematic reviews identified in a previous scoping review (March 2021: PEDro, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Cochrane Database). For Objective 1, we included intervention studies investigating physical activity programs/services in adults ≥ 60 years. Of these, we included good quality (≥ 6/10 PEDro scale) randomised controlled trials (RCTs) with ≥ 50 participants per group in Objective 2. RESULTS: Objective 1: Of the 1421 intervention studies identified from 8267 records, 79% were RCTs, 87% were in high income countries and 39% were good quality. Objective 2: We identified 87 large, good quality RCTs (26,861 participants). Overall activity promotion, structured exercise and recreation/sport had positive impacts (≥ 50% between-group comparisons positive) across all outcome domains. For overall activity promotion (21 intervention groups), greatest impacts were on physical activity (100% positive) and social outcomes (83% positive). Structured exercise (61 intervention groups) had particularly strong impacts on falls (91% positive), intrinsic capacity (67% positive) and physical functioning (77% positive). Recreation/sport (24 intervention groups) had particularly strong impacts on cognitive/emotional functioning (88% positive). Multicomponent exercise (39 intervention groups) had strong impacts across all outcomes, particularly physical activity (95% positive), falls (90% positive) and physical functioning (81% positive). Results for different populations and settings are presented. CONCLUSION: Evidence supporting physical activity for older adults is positive. We outline which activity types are most effective in different populations and settings.

Mobility training for increasing mobility and functioning in older people with frailty.

BACKGROUND: Frailty is common in older people and is characterised by decline across multiple body systems, causing decreased physiological reserve and increased vulnerability to adverse health outcomes. It is estimated that 21% of the community-dwelling population over 65 years are frail. Frailty is independently predictive of falls, worsening mobility, deteriorating functioning, impaired activities of daily living, and death. The World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) defines mobility as: changing and maintaining a body position, walking, and moving. Common interventions used to increase mobility include functional exercises, such as sit-to-stand, walking, or stepping practice. OBJECTIVES: To summarise the evidence for the benefits and safety of mobility training on overall functioning and mobility in frail older people living in the community. SEARCH METHODS: We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, AMED, PEDro, US National Institutes of Health Ongoing Trials Register, and the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (June 2021). SELECTION CRITERIA: We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the effects of mobility training on mobility and function in frail people aged 65+ years living in the community. We defined community as those residing either at home or in places that do not provide rehabilitative services or residential health-related care, for example, retirement villages, sheltered housing, or hostels.  DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: We undertook an 'umbrella' comparison of all types of mobility training versus control. MAIN RESULTS: This review included 12 RCTs, with 1317 participants, carried out in 9 countries. The median number of participants in the trials was 97. The mean age of the included participants was 82 years. The majority of trials had unclear or high risk of bias for one or more items. All trials compared mobility training with a control intervention (defined as one that is not thought to improve mobility, such as general health education, social visits, very gentle exercise, or "sham" exercise not expected to impact on mobility). High-certainty evidence showed that mobility training improves the level of mobility upon completion of the intervention period. The mean mobility score was 4.69 in the control group, and with mobility training, this score improved by 1.00 point (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.51 to 1.51) on the Short Physical Performance Battery (on a scale of 0 to 12; higher scores indicate better mobility levels) (12 studies, 1151 participants). This is a clinically significant change (minimum clinically important difference: 0.5 points; absolute improvement of 8% (4% higher to 13% higher); number needed to treat for an additional beneficial outcome (NNTB) 5 (95% CI 3.00 to 9.00)). This benefit was maintained at six months post-intervention. Moderate-certainty evidence (downgraded for inconsistency) showed that mobility training likely improves the level of functioning upon completion of the intervention. The mean function score was 86.1 in the control group, and with mobility training, this score improved by 8.58 points (95% CI 3.00 to 14.30) on the Barthel Index (on a scale of 0 to 100; higher scores indicate better functioning levels) (9 studies, 916 participants) (absolute improvement of 9% (3% higher to 14% higher)). This result did not reach clinical significance (9.8 points). This benefit did not appear to be maintained six months after the intervention. We are uncertain of the effect of mobility training on adverse events as we assessed the certainty of the evidence as very low (downgraded one level for imprecision and two levels for bias). The number of events was 771 per 1000 in the control group and 562 per 1000 in the group with mobility training (risk ratio (RR) 0.74, 95% CI 0.63 to 0.88; 2 studies, 225 participants) (absolute difference of 19% fewer (9% fewer to 26% fewer)). Mobility training may result in little to no difference in the number of people who are admitted to nursing care facilities at the end of the intervention period as the 95% confidence interval includes the possibility of both a reduced and increased number of admissions to nursing care facilities (low-certainty evidence, downgraded for imprecision and bias). The number of events was 248 per 1000 in the control group and 208 per 1000 in the group with mobility training (RR 0.84, 95% CI 0.53 to 1.34; 1 study, 241 participants) (absolute difference of 4% fewer (8% more to 12% fewer)). Mobility training may result in little to no difference in the number of people who fall as the 95% confidence interval includes the possibility of both a reduced and increased number of fallers (low-certainty evidence, downgraded for imprecision and study design limitations). The number of events was 573 per 1000 in the control group and 584 per 1000 in the group with mobility training (RR 1.02, 95% CI 0.87 to 1.20; 2 studies, 425 participants) (absolute improvement of 1% (12% more to 7% fewer)). Mobility training probably results in little to no difference in the death rate at the end of the intervention period as the 95% confidence interval includes the possibility of both a reduced and increased death rate (moderate-certainty evidence, downgraded for bias). The number of events was 51 per 1000 in the control group and 59 per 1000 in the group with mobility training (RR 1.16, 95% CI 0.64 to 2.10; 6 studies, 747 participants) (absolute improvement of 1% (6% more to 2% fewer)). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: The data in the review supports the use of mobility training for improving mobility in a frail community-dwelling older population. High-certainty evidence shows that compared to control, mobility training improves the level of mobility, and moderate-certainty evidence shows it may improve the level of functioning in frail community-dwelling older people. There is moderate-certainty evidence that the improvement in mobility continues six months post-intervention. Mobility training may make little to no difference to the number of people who fall or are admitted to nursing care facilities, or to the death rate. We are unsure of the effect on adverse events as the certainty of evidence was very low.

A scoping review of physical activity interventions for older adults.

BACKGROUND: To inform implementation and future research, this scoping review investigates the volume of evidence for physical activity interventions among adults aged 60+. Our research questions are: (1) what is the evidence regarding interventions designed to increase total physical activity in adults aged 60+ years, in accordance with three of the four strategic objectives of GAPPA (active societies, active environments, active people); (2) what is the current evidence regarding the effectiveness of physical activity programmes and services designed for older adults?; and (3) What are the evidence gaps requiring further research? METHODS: We searched PEDro, MEDLINE, CINAHL and Cochrane from 1 January 2010 to 1 November 2020 for systematic reviews and meta-analyses of physical activity interventions in adults aged 60+. We identified interventions designed to: (1) increase physical activity; and (2) deliver physical activity programmes and services in home, community or outpatient settings. We extracted and coded data from eligible reviews according to our proposed framework informed by TIDieR, Prevention of Falls Network Europe (PROFANE), and WHO's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). We classified the overall findings as positive, negative or inconclusive. RESULTS: We identified 39 reviews of interventions to increase physical activity and 342 reviews of programmes/services for older adults. Interventions were predominantly structured exercise programmes, including balance strength/resistance training, and physical recreation, such as yoga and tai chi. There were few reviews of health promotion/coaching and health professional education/referral, and none of sport, workplace, sociocultural or environmental interventions. Fewer reported outcomes of total physical activity, social participation and quality of life/well-being. We noted insufficient coverage in diverse and disadvantaged samples and low-middle income countries. CONCLUSIONS: There is a modest but growing volume of evidence regarding interventions designed to increase total physical activity in older adults, although more interventional studies with long term follow-up are needed, particularly for GAPPA 1. Active Societies and GAPPA 2. Active Environments. By comparison, there is abundant evidence for GAPPA 3. specific programmes and services, but coverage of sport and workplace interventions, and diverse samples and settings is lacking. Comprehensive reviews of individual studies are now needed as well as research targeting neglected outcomes, populations and settings.

Digitally enabled aged care and neurological rehabilitation to enhance outcomes with Activity and MObility UsiNg Technology (AMOUNT) in Australia: A randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Digitally enabled rehabilitation may lead to better outcomes but has not been tested in large pragmatic trials. We aimed to evaluate a tailored prescription of affordable digital devices in addition to usual care for people with mobility limitations admitted to aged care and neurological rehabilitation. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We conducted a pragmatic, outcome-assessor-blinded, parallel-group randomised trial in 3 Australian hospitals in Sydney and Adelaide recruiting adults 18 to 101 years old with mobility limitations undertaking aged care and neurological inpatient rehabilitation. Both the intervention and control groups received usual multidisciplinary inpatient and post-hospital rehabilitation care as determined by the treating rehabilitation clinicians. In addition to usual care, the intervention group used devices to target mobility and physical activity problems, individually prescribed by a physiotherapist according to an intervention protocol, including virtual reality video games, activity monitors, and handheld computer devices for 6 months in hospital and at home. Co-primary outcomes were mobility (performance-based Short Physical Performance Battery [SPPB]; continuous version; range 0 to 3; higher score indicates better mobility) and upright time as a proxy measure of physical activity (proportion of the day upright measured with activPAL) at 6 months. The dataset was analysed using intention-to-treat principles. The trial was prospectively registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12614000936628). Between 22 September 2014 and 10 November 2016, 300 patients (mean age 74 years, SD 14; 50% female; 54% neurological condition causing activity limitation) were randomly assigned to intervention (n = 149) or control (n = 151) using a secure online database (REDCap) to achieve allocation concealment. Six-month assessments were completed by 258 participants (129 intervention, 129 control). Intervention participants received on average 12 (SD 11) supervised inpatient sessions using 4 (SD 1) different devices and 15 (SD 5) physiotherapy contacts supporting device use after hospital discharge. Changes in mobility scores were higher in the intervention group compared to the control group from baseline (SPPB [continuous, 0-3] mean [SD]: intervention group, 1.5 [0.7]; control group, 1.5 [0.8]) to 6 months (SPPB [continuous, 0-3] mean [SD]: intervention group, 2.3 [0.6]; control group, 2.1 [0.8]; mean between-group difference 0.2 points, 95% CI 0.1 to 0.3; p = 0.006). However, there was no evidence of a difference between groups for upright time at 6 months (mean [SD] proportion of the day spent upright at 6 months: intervention group, 18.2 [9.8]; control group, 18.4 [10.2]; mean between-group difference -0.2, 95% CI -2.7 to 2.3; p = 0.87). Scores were higher in the intervention group compared to the control group across most secondary mobility outcomes, but there was no evidence of a difference between groups for most other secondary outcomes including self-reported balance confidence and quality of life. No adverse events were reported in the intervention group. Thirteen participants died while in the trial (intervention group: 9; control group: 4) due to unrelated causes, and there was no evidence of a difference between groups in fall rates (unadjusted incidence rate ratio 1.19, 95% CI 0.78 to 1.83; p = 0.43). Study limitations include 15%-19% loss to follow-up at 6 months on the co-primary outcomes, as anticipated; the number of secondary outcome measures in our trial, which may increase the risk of a type I error; and potential low statistical power to demonstrate significant between-group differences on important secondary patient-reported outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we observed improved mobility in people with a wide range of health conditions making use of digitally enabled rehabilitation, whereas time spent upright was not impacted. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial was prospectively registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Register; ACTRN12614000936628.

Improving Walking Ability in People With Neurologic Conditions: A Theoretical Framework for Biomechanics-Driven Exercise Prescription.

The purpose of this paper is to discuss how knowledge of the biomechanics of walking can be used to inform the prescription of resistance exercises for people with mobility limitations. Muscle weakness is a key physical impairment that limits walking in commonly occurring neurologic conditions such as cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury, and stroke. Few randomized trials to date have shown conclusively that strength training improves walking in people living with these conditions. This appears to be because (1) the most important muscle groups for forward propulsion when walking have not been targeted for strengthening, and (2) strength training protocols have focused on slow and heavy resistance exercises, which do not improve the fast muscle contractions required for walking. We propose a theoretical framework to improve exercise prescription by integrating the biomechanics of walking with the principles of strength training outlined by the American College of Sports Medicine to prescribe exercises that are specific to improving the task of walking. The high angular velocities that occur in the lower limb joints during walking indicate that resistance exercises targeting power generation would be most appropriate. Therefore, we propose the prescription of plyometric and ballistic resistance exercise, applied using the American College of Sports Medicine guidelines for task specificity, once people with neurologic conditions are ambulating, to improve walking outcomes. This new theoretical framework for resistance training ensures that exercise prescription matches how the muscles work during walking.

Active women over 50: study protocol for RCT of a low-dose information and support program to promote physical activity behaviour change.

BACKGROUND: There is compelling evidence that physical activity has many physical and mental health benefits and can delay the development of disability in older age. However, uptake of this health behaviour is sub-optimal in working women in their middle age. This trial aims to establish the impact of a low-dose information program, incorporating follow-up support using behaviour change techniques, compared with a wait-list control group, on physical activity among women aged 50+ years. METHODS: 100 female university or health service employees aged 50 years and over who are not sufficiently active according to national guidelines will be recruited and randomised to: [1] attend one information session at the worksite with follow-up email support and provision of resources including use of an activity tracker (Fitbit) for 3 months and free trial class at the university sports facility, or [2] a wait-list control to receive the intervention after the 3-month follow-up period. The primary outcome will be the proportion of people achieving 10,000 steps/day at 3 months post randomisation. Secondary outcomes will include the proportion of people achieving national guideline-recommended physical activity levels, the average self-reported hours of physical activity per week, perceived benefits of and barriers to exercise participation, physical functioning, and mood. Analyses will be planned, conducted while masked to group allocation and will use an intention-to-treat approach. DISCUSSION: This randomised controlled trial will evaluate the impact of a simple intervention using behaviour change techniques to increase physical activity participation in insufficiently active working women over the age of 50. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ACTRN12617000485336 , prospectively registered, approved 04/04/2017.

Sporting opportunities for people with physical disabilities: Mixed methods study of web-based searches and sport provider interviews.

ISSUE ADDRESSED: To assess web-based information about sport opportunities for people with physical disabilities and to explore barriers and potential solutions to offering such opportunities from the perspective of sporting organisations. METHODS: A mixed method study was conducted in 2 stages focusing on 26 high-participation sports. Stage One involved conducting web-based searches of sporting organisations at national (Australia), state (NSW) and local club levels and auditing the websites to identify the mention of sport opportunities for people with disabilities. Stage Two involved conducting semi-structured phone interviews with 25 sport providers identified from Stage One to discuss barriers and potential solutions to providing these opportunities. Data from interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed. RESULTS: Across 26 sports, 138 organisations (43 national, 33 states, 62 local clubs) were identified. Information about sport opportunities for people with disabilities decreased from national (86% of websites mentioned such opportunities) to state (76%) to club (37%) level. Barriers identified included funding, awareness, lack of coordination between organisations and people's attitudes. Potential solutions included fostering working partnerships and increasing understanding. CONCLUSION: Greater awareness within sporting organisations of the role of sport for people with disabilities is needed. Finding information on what disability sport opportunities are available particularly at a local participation level is currently challenging. SO WHAT?: Organisations need to work in partnership within and between sports and with other sectors to provide accessible information and appropriate opportunities. This should be supported by government policy and funding and informed by the needs of people with disabilities.

Patient and therapist experiences of using affordable feedback-based technology in rehabilitation: a qualitative study nested in a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To explore how technologies are used and experienced in rehabilitation. DESIGN: A qualitative study using a grounded theory approach within a randomized controlled trial investigating the effectiveness of tailored, affordable technologies to improve mobility and physical activity. SETTINGS: Aged care and neurological rehabilitation wards with community follow-up. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty patients undergoing rehabilitation and randomized to the experimental arm of a trial (mean age 64 years (SD 23)) were recruited for interviews, plus 11 physiotherapists involved in technology prescription as part of the trial. METHOD: Two interviews per patient (one in hospital, one post-discharge) and four focus groups with physiotherapists were conducted. Transcribed data were coded and synthesized. Memo-writing and constant comparison methods guided data analysis. RESULTS: A process of patient engagement with technology involving two stages: (1) initial patient engagement and (2) maintaining patient engagement was identified. Therapists used a series of steps and strategies to gain and maintain patient engagement. A positive first experience and continued input into patient programmes was needed. The level of patient engagement was not consistent across the duration of the trial, increasing or decreasing due to changes in the technologies prescribed or setting of use. Two conditions were key to optimizing patient engagement: sufficient support and perceived benefit from using technology. CONCLUSIONS: Patients can engage with technology during rehabilitation when prescription is tailored by a therapist. Perceiving benefit from using technology, in addition to receiving the right support to enable use appears to influence the level of patient engagement.

Time use and physical activity in a specialised brain injury rehabilitation unit: an observational study.

OBJECTIVES: To determine what is the use of time and physical activity in people undertaking inpatient rehabilitation in a specialised brain injury unit. To determine participants' level of independence related to the use of time and physical activity. METHODS: Design: Cross-sectional observation study. PARTICIPANTS: Fourteen people [mean (SD) age 40 (15) years] with brain injuries undertaking inpatient rehabilitation. PROCEDURE: Participants were observed every 12 minutes over 5 days (Monday to Friday from 7:30 am until 7:30 pm) using a behaviour mapping tool. OUTCOME MEASURES: Observation of location, people present, body position and activity engaged in (both therapeutic and nontherapeutic). Functional Independence Measure (FIM) scores were determined for each participant. RESULTS: Participants spent a large part of their time alone (34%) in sedentary positions (83%) and in their bedrooms (48%) doing non-therapeutic activities (78%). There was a positive relationship between a higher level of independence (higher FIM score) and being observed in active body positions (r=0.60; p=0.03) and participating in physically active therapeutic activities (r=0.53; p=0.05). CONCLUSION: Similar to stroke units, inpatients in a specialised brain injury unit spend large parts of the day sedentary, alone and doing non-therapeutic activities. Strategies need to be evaluated to address this problem, particularly for people with greater physical dependence.

Factors Associated With the Setting of Health-Related Goals Among Community-Dwelling Older People.

This study aimed to summarize the function-related goals set by older people, and to explore gender differences in goal selection and associations between balance-related goals and fall history, self-rated balance, and fear of falling. We included community-dwelling people aged 60 years and older participating in two randomized controlled trials. Participants nominated two function-related goals, which were summarized into components of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. Chi-square analyses were used to explore associations between goal types and participant characteristics. Goals related to recreation and leisure and walking were the most common function-related goals selected. Men and women set similar goals. Participants who had poor/fair self-reported balance were more likely to set a balance-related goal than people with good self-rated balance. In contrast, fallers and participants who had a fear of falling were not more likely to select a balance-related goal than nonfallers and participants who had no fear of falling, respectively.