Low-volume Cycling Training in Older People With Multimorbidity

INTRODUCTION: Physical exercise, when practiced regularly and in adequate doses, is a proven nonpharmacological measure that helps to prevent and reverse noncommunicable diseases, as well as reduce mortality rates from any cause. In general, older adults perform insufficient physical activity and do not meet the doses recommended by the World Health Organization for the improvement of health through physical activity. OBJECTIVE: Our main aim will be to evaluate the effect of a 6-week intervention on health-related outcomes (body composition, hemodynamic and functionality changes) in 24 individuals aged 65 and older with multimorbidity. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The study was a 2 x 2 randomized controlled trial using a two-group design (exercise vs. control) and two repeated measures (pre- vs. postintervention). The intervention (on the MOTOmed Muvi) will consist of a very low volume (60 minutes per week) of low-to-moderate intensity exercise training to assess body composition evaluation, hemodynamic parameter evaluation and functional evaluation. Participants will be recruited at the Gerontological Complex La Milagrosa (A Coruña, Spain), consisting of a daycare center and a nursing home. For the statistical analysis, nonparametric ANOVA type statistics and mixed models for repeated measures will be used.