Feasibility Study of an Outdoor Strength Training Program for Older Adults
Exercise Training
What this study involves
The registry says this study is recruiting. Individual locations may have different availability.
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Not applicable
- Age range
- 65 years - Not specified
- Sex eligible
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Participants
- 24 Estimated
These are starting points, not an eligibility decision. The research team must review the full requirements.
About the research
In order to promote healthy ageing and independent living, the World Health Organization recommends older adults to engage in resistance exercise at least twice weekly. However, only a minority of the older population complies with these guidelines, stressing the urgent need to develop comprehensive strategies to implement resistance exercise programs in the community. This PhD project will be performed in close collaboration with IPitup vzw, who developed outdoor activity benches, an accommodating smartphone app with exercise instructions and training courses as a low-cost modality for resistance exercise in the general population. The aim is to build upon these existing structures and develop an optimized, progressive resistance exercise program for community-dwelling older adults, which can be performed in small groups without the need for specialized training experts. The program's feasibility, defined in terms of safety, adherence, usability and acceptability, will be tested.
Who may be able to participate?
The list below is the sponsor’s full registry wording. It can include conditions, prior treatment, test results and other requirements. A match in search does not mean you qualify.
Inclusion Criteria:
- Community-dwelling adults
- At least 65 years old
Exclusion Criteria:
- Participation in an interventional study with an investigational medicinal product (IMP) or device
- Systematic engagement in resistance exercise during the past year
- Self-reported, unstable cardiovascular disease, neuromuscular disease, acute infection or fever
- Self-reported, surgery in the past year
- Self-reported injuries that result in the inability to perform study-related tasks
- Inability to understand the test and training procedures because of cognitive problems
Treatment, groups and participation
The registry may describe treatments and study duration without a complete visit calendar. Ask the study team for the exact schedule, procedures, risks, costs and alternatives. Keep your usual care plan unless your treating clinician tells you otherwise.
- Assignment
- Not applicable
- Masking
- No masking
Peer-supported outdoor strength training
Participants take part in a 6-week outdoor strength training program using activity benches and a smartphone application. Training is performed in small groups of six community-dwelling older adults. Within each group, one participant acts as a peer coach and provides practical support and motivation.
Other: 6-week outdoor strength training program using activity benches and a smartphone application
6-week outdoor strength training program using activity benches and a smartphone application OTHER
2x/week, 35-45min sessions at the outdoor activity bench
What researchers are measuring
Outcome measures describe what is being studied. They are not proof that a treatment works.
Primary measures
Number of Participants Experiencing Adverse Events
Time frame: Throughout the 6-week intervention
Safety of the intervention, assessed as the number of participants experiencing one or more adverse events related to testing or training sessions during the intervention period.
Participant Adherence Rate
Time frame: Throughout the 10-week study period
Adherence to the intervention, assessed as the proportion of participants who complete the intervention and post-intervention assessments. And assessed as the percentage of scheduled training sessions attended by participants during the 6-week intervention.
System Usability Scale (SUS)
Time frame: Post-intervention at week 9
Usability of the intervention will be assessed using the System Usability Scale (SUS), a 10-item questionnaire yielding a total score ranging from 0 to 5. Five items are positively worded, for which higher response scores indicate greater usability, while five items are negatively worded and are reverse-scored, such that lower response scores indicate greater usability.
Net Promoter Score (NPS)
Time frame: Post-intervention at week 9
Acceptability of the intervention, assessed using the Net Promoter Score (NPS), based on participants' likelihood of recommending the programme to others. Scores range from 0 to 10, with higher scores indicating greater acceptability and willingness to recommend the intervention.
Participant Acceptability of the Intervention
Time frame: Post-intervention at week 9
Acceptability of the intervention, assessed through participant feedback regarding the peer-led delivery model and the appropriateness of training intensity and progression. Responses will be summarized descriptively.
Completion Rate of Data Collection Procedures
Time frame: Over the 10-week study period
Feasibility of data collection procedures, assessed as the proportion of planned laboratory-based assessments, questionnaire assessments, and IPitup app-based assessments successfully completed by participants. Higher percentages indicate greater feasibility of the data collection procedures.
Change in Lower Limb Muscle Strength and Power
Time frame: Baseline at week 1 and post-intervention at week 9
Preliminary effects of the intervention on muscle strength and power, assessed as the change in lower limb muscle strength and power from baseline to post-intervention. Muscle strength and power will be measured using the predefined study strength assessment protocol. Higher values indicate greater muscle strength and power.
Implementation Barriers and Facilitators Identified During Focus Groups
Time frame: Post-intervention at week 10
Implementation barriers and facilitators will be explored through semi-structured focus groups conducted following the intervention. Audio recordings will be transcribed verbatim and analysed using qualitative thematic analysis. Identified barriers and facilitators will be categorized into themes to inform optimization of a future randomized controlled trial.
Review the complete result tables and limitations in the official record.
Open official results ↗Research locations (1)
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1 locations
KU Leuven - Department of Movement SciencesLeuven, Vlaams-Brabant, BelgiumRecruiting
Study team and timeline
- Lead sponsor
- Universitaire Ziekenhuizen KU Leuven
- Study start
- Aug 18, 2026 Actual
- Primary completion
- Nov 4, 2026 Estimated
- Study completion
- Nov 4, 2026 Estimated
- First posted
- Nov 10, 2026 Actual
- Last updated
- Nov 10, 2026 Actual
Official study contacts
Official study title
Development and Implementation of Resistance Training Programs in Community-dwelling Older Adults Using Outdoor Activity Benches: a Feasibility and Pilot Study.
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Source: ClinicalTrials.gov API v2. Information is submitted by sponsors and investigators. NLM does not approve the safety or science of all listed studies. Registry disclaimer.
Retrieved: Nov 12, 2026 · Last registry update: Nov 10, 2026