Table 4.
Change and relative change in gait speed, balance performance, and self-rated health within high exercise (HE) and low exercise (LE) groups at baseline and at follow-up
| High exercise | Low exercise | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baseline Median (range) | Follow-up Median (range) | Relative change % | p value | Baseline Median (range) | Follow-up Median (range) | Relative change % | p value | |
| Age years (median, range) | 72 (69.1–78.6) | 80.3 (77.1–86.7)a | NA | 73 (69.8–78.3) | 81.4 (78.1–86.3)b | NA | ||
| Gait speed time for 30 m, s | 19 (14–42) | 24 (16–61) | 21 | < 0.001a | 22 (15–50) | 27 (0–97) | 18 | < 0.001c |
| Gait speed m/s | 1.58 (0.71–2.14) | 1.2 (0.11–1.88) | 17 | < 0.001 | 1.5 (0.68–2.14) | 1.2 (0.31–2.00) | 19 | < 0.001c |
| OLST Right leg eyes open, s | 19 (1.5–30) | 7.5 (0–30) | 37 | < 0.001d | 7.3 (0–30) | 2.5 (0–30) | 45 | < 0.001b |
| OLST Left leg eyes open, s | 22.5 (2–30) | 7 (0–30) | 44 | < 0.001d | 9 (0–30) | 3 (0–30) | 39 | < 0.001b |
| OLST Right leg closed eyes closed, s | 3 (0–30) | 1.3 (0–7) | 50 | < 0.001a | 2 (0–11) | 1 (0–10) | 50 | < 0.001b |
| OLST Left leg eyes closed, s | 3 (0–21.5) | 1.5 (0–6.5) | 50 | < 0.001a | 2 (0–7) | 1 (0–4.5) | 50 | < 0.001b |
| Tandem steps forwards | 14.5 (2.5–15) | 8.5 (0–15) | 21 | < 0.001a | 9 (0–15) | 2.5 (0–15) | 44 | < 0.001c |
| Tandem steps backwards | 15 (2.5–15) | 11 (0–15) | 22 | < 0.001a | 9 (0–15) | 3.5 (0–15) | 56 | < 0.001c |
| Self-rated health | 80 (21–99) | 72 (6.7–99) | 6 | 0.05a | 50.5 (6–94) | 55 (13–89) | 8 | 0.06b |
an = 49; bn = 51; cn = 41; dn = 45; OLST = one-leg standing time; *significant p value < 0.05. Wilcoxon signed-rank test for matched pairs. High exercise group = physical exercise 5 times/week or more for more than 30 min each time. Low exercise group (all others) = physical exercise 1–4 times/week or less for 30 min or less each time. Relative changes are compared to baseline values