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Purpose <p>We investigated changes in lower limb strength, fitness, and mental health of older adults before and after a 7-month isolation period due to COVID-19 pandemic in Japan, in relation to a community exercise program.</p> Methods <p>Eleven adults (70–90 y) participated a weekly resistance exercise program at a community facility from September (a) to December 2019 (b), and again from July (c) to November 2020 (d) after the isolation period from January to June 2020. During the isolation period, they were instructed to continue exercises learned from the program at home. Maximal voluntary knee extensor contraction strength (MVC), 30-s chair stand (CS), 2-min step (2MS), 3-m timed up and go (TUG), and activities of daily living (ADL) were assessed at (a)–(d). Mental health was assessed by WEMWBS and GAD-7 at (b)–(d). Physical activity and mental health during the isolation were also assessed by questionnaires at (c).</p> Results <p>MVC, CS, and TUG improved (P &lt; 0.05) 17–24% from (a) to (b), but MVC, CS, TUG, 2MS, and ADL decreased (P &lt; 0.05) 13–28% from (b) to (c). From (c) to (d), CS improved (P &lt; 0.05) 37%, but no significant changes were evident for other measures. No significant changes in mental health were evident from (b) to (d).</p> Conclusion <p>Home-based exercises did not maintain physical fitness during the isolation period, and decreased fitness did not recover after the 12-week post-isolation intervention. It is concluded that regular participation in a community exercise program even once a week provides significant effects on older adults.</p>

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Changes in physical fitness and mental health of older adults who participated in a community exercise program before and after COVID-19 pandemic

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年4月9日

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  • Yoshihiro Katsura,
  • Noriko Takeda,
  • Masatoshi Nakamura,
  • Kazunori Nosaka

摘要

Purpose

We investigated changes in lower limb strength, fitness, and mental health of older adults before and after a 7-month isolation period due to COVID-19 pandemic in Japan, in relation to a community exercise program.

Methods

Eleven adults (70–90 y) participated a weekly resistance exercise program at a community facility from September (a) to December 2019 (b), and again from July (c) to November 2020 (d) after the isolation period from January to June 2020. During the isolation period, they were instructed to continue exercises learned from the program at home. Maximal voluntary knee extensor contraction strength (MVC), 30-s chair stand (CS), 2-min step (2MS), 3-m timed up and go (TUG), and activities of daily living (ADL) were assessed at (a)–(d). Mental health was assessed by WEMWBS and GAD-7 at (b)–(d). Physical activity and mental health during the isolation were also assessed by questionnaires at (c).

Results

MVC, CS, and TUG improved (P < 0.05) 17–24% from (a) to (b), but MVC, CS, TUG, 2MS, and ADL decreased (P < 0.05) 13–28% from (b) to (c). From (c) to (d), CS improved (P < 0.05) 37%, but no significant changes were evident for other measures. No significant changes in mental health were evident from (b) to (d).

Conclusion

Home-based exercises did not maintain physical fitness during the isolation period, and decreased fitness did not recover after the 12-week post-isolation intervention. It is concluded that regular participation in a community exercise program even once a week provides significant effects on older adults.