Effectiveness of telehealth in preventive care: A study protocol for a randomised controlled trial of tele- exercise programme involving elderly with possible sarcopenia or at risk of fall

Abstract

Abstract Background Continuous loss of muscle mass and strength are the consequences of the ageing process, which increase the risk of falls among older adults. Falls can lead to severe consequences such as bone fractures and hampered physical and psychological well-being. Regular exercise is the key to reversing muscle atrophy and relieving sarcopenia. However, the frailty of the elderly and the recent COVID-19 pandemic may affect their confidence to leave home to attend classes in the community. A feasible and effective alternative should be explored. Methods The primary objective is to evaluate the effectiveness of tele-exercise (TE) in relation to physical functioning and exercise adherence among the community-dwelling elderly at risk of falls in comparison with a community-based group (CB). The secondary objective includes evaluating the elderly's experience with tele-exercise, emphasizing their psychological welfare, social well-being, and acceptance of the telehealth approach. The design, conduct, and report follow the SPIRIT guidelines (Standard Protocol Items: recommended items to address in a Clinical Trial Protocol and Related Documents). The elderly will be recruited from 10 local community centres in Hong Kong and randomly allocated into two groups. All participants will attend the exercise training 3 days per week for 3 months but the mode of delivery will differ, either online as the tele-exercise group (TE) or face-to-face as the community-based group (CB). The outcome measures include muscle strength, physical function, exercise adherence and dropout rate, psychological and social well-being will be assessed at the baseline, and the 3rd, 6th and 12th month. Some participants will be invited to attend focus group interviews to evaluate their overall experience of the tele-exercise training. Discussion Tele-exercise reduces the barriers to exercise, such as time constraints, inaccessibility to facilities, and the fear of frail elderly persons leaving their home. Promoting an online home-based exercise programme for the elderly can encourage them to engage in regular physical activity and increase their exercise adherence even when remaining at home. The use of telehealth can potentially result in savings in cost and time. The final findings will provide insights on delivering exercise via telehealth to the elderly and propose an exercise delivery and maintenance model for future practice. Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (http://www.chictr.org.cn/searchproj.aspx), registration number: ChiCTR2200063370. Registered on 5 September 2022