Does Home-Based Exercise Improve the Physical Function of Prefrail Older Women?

Physical exercise is a potential intervention to revert or attenuate frailty syndrome, which may be accomplished by traditional center-based and home-based programs. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of a home-based and center-based exercise program on frailty status, physical and muscle function of frail older women. Thirty-one frail older women were allocated in two different groups: home-based group (n = 17, 71.5 +/- 6.5 years) or center-based group (n = 14, 68.4 +/- 6.4 years). The exercise program lasted 12 weeks (3 days/week), 60 minutes/session, including strengthening, balance, and gait exercises. Frailty status, knee, and hip strength, and physical function were assessed before and after the intervention. After the exercise program, frailty was reversed in 76% of the participants independently of the exercise group. Muscle strength and physical function improved in both groups, where the home-based program presented a high adherence rate, and the center-based program was more suitable to reverse the frailty status. In conclusion, a home-based exercise program is as effective as center based to improve strength, physical function, and to reverse frailty status.