Hamed Asadi, Azar Darvishpour, Kamran Ezzati, Bahare Gholami-Chaboki
Journal: BMC musculoskeletal disorders 2023;24(1):820
PMID: 37848869
The health of the musculoskeletal system deteriorates with age. Older adults are more at risk of pain and serious injuries, including bone fractures and musculoskeletal disabilities. Tissue damage in the musculoskeletal system due to musculoskeletal disorders can result in loss of function and pain. Corrective exercise interventions may help reduce pain, improve balance and flexibility, maintain posture, and decrease sedentary time, potentially reducing the impact of musculoskeletal disorders. Despite the evidence from earlier studies, there remains a significant gap in the understanding of the potential benefits of corrective exercise intervention for older adults. In this randomised controlled clinical trial, fifty-eight older adults residing in nursing homes were included to evaluate the efficacy of an eight-week corrective exercise intervention in alleviating the intensity of pain and the impact of musculoskeletal disorders. The study findings revealed an 11.89% reduction in the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among the elderly. Notably, statistically significant improvements were observed in the neck, pelvis, and left knee. Moderate musculoskeletal pain in the intervention group decreased to mild pain post-intervention in 51.8% of cases, with statistical significance. The findings of this study can provide valuable insights for healthcare professionals regarding the pain-modulating effects and the potential for reducing the incidence of musculoskeletal disorders through corrective exercise interventions in the elderly population. Due to the constraints of this study, further robust studies are required to evaluate the beneficial effects of corrective exercise therapy in older adults.
BACKGROUND
Ageing causes changes in the function of musculoskeletal systems and disability, and injury among older adults. This study aimed to determine the effect of corrective exercises on musculoskeletal disorders among older adults residing in a nursing home in Iran.
METHOD
This controlled clinical trial study was conducted on 58 older adults (29 samples in each group). The intervention group performed corrective exercises for 8 weeks and three sessions per week and each session lasted for one hour. The pre-test was performed one week before intervention and the post-test one week after the 8-week intervention. The research instruments included Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ), and the pain visual analog scale (VAS). Descriptive and inferential (Chi-square, Mann-Whitney, Wilcoxon, and McNemar test) statistics were used to analyze the data using SPSS software version 19.
RESULTS
the majority of the participants were males (67.2%) and in the age range of 60-74 years (82.8%). The mean age of samples in intervention and control groups was 68.45 (SD = 5.38) and 69.17 (SD = 5.86), respectively. The results showed that the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) was decreased in the intervention group after the intervention (%Δ = -34.68, p < .05). The results also showed a statistically significant decrease in pain intensity of musculoskeletal in the intervention group, after the intervention (%Δ = -68.34, p < .001).
CONCLUSIONS
Corrective exercises reduce the prevalence of MSDs and the pain intensity among older adults. It is recommended to pay attention to these exercises to improve physical health and reduce the prevalence of MSDs among older adults.
© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.
© Copyright 2026, Nutrition Evidence
NED wishes to thank the following organisations for their support:
We use cookies to improve your experience and analyze site traffic with Google Analytics. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn more.