The intensity of chair-assisted exercises in cognitively healthy older adults.

INTRODUCTION The American College of Sports Medicine prescribes regular performance of at least moderate-intensity physical activity for healthy aging. This study examined whether 1 session of 30 min of chair-assisted exercises for the elderly meets this intensity criterion. METHOD This cross-sectional study included 47 cognitively healthy volunteers (mean age 84 years). During the performance of 30 min of chair-assisted exercises the authors determined oxygen uptake (VO2), carbon dioxide production, heart rate (HR), and rating of perceived exertion (RPE). These measures were expressed as a percentage of the estimated maximal VO2 (VO2max) and the estimated maximal HR (HRmax) and estimated as metabolic equivalent units (METs). RESULTS Participants performed chair-assisted exercises at 61.0% ± 14.7% of VO2max, 67.6% ± 11.3% HRmax, 3.9 ± 0.9 METs, and 13.1 ± 2.1 RPE. CONCLUSIONS The intensity of these chair-assisted exercises is at least moderate for older adults, which is necessary for healthy aging.