Exercise after 60: a pilot trial cannot distinguish between online and group formats

Two formats compared over 26 weeks

The researchers recruited community-dwelling adults in three Swedish residential areas. Allocation was randomized by site, not individually: 12 participants had access to prerecorded Otago exercise videos, while 23 performed these exercises in person in a group. The trial was not blinded.

The main objective was to assess dropout, attendance and the experiences explaining why participants continued or stopped the program. Physical activity, lower-body strength, depressive symptoms and quality of life were also measured, but as exploratory outcomes. Interviews were conducted with 17 people who completed the program and 7 who left it.

Dropouts cluster early on

Overall, 13 out of 35 participants dropped out. Most of these departures occurred during the first two weeks. No statistically significant difference in dropout was observed between the formats.

Average attendance appeared higher in the online group, but this difference was not statistically significant either. With such a small sample, the absence of a detected difference demonstrates neither equivalence between the formats nor their effectiveness.

Format alone does not explain participation

The interviews mainly attributed dropout to physical health problems and a feeling that the program was not a good fit. Conversely, interest in the sessions, routine, commitment, flexibility, feedback on exercise performance and, often, social presence supported attendance.

These observations suggest that practical opportunities to participate and motivation may matter more than the choice between a screen and in-person sessions alone. However, they do not prove that any specific change to the program would reduce dropout.

A feasibility study, not a verdict on benefits

No intervention-related adverse events were reported. This finding, in a small trial, is not enough to establish safety for all older adults.

The abstract provides no numerical results that would support a conclusion of benefit for strength, depressive symptoms or quality of life. The main contribution is therefore to identify participation challenges to examine in a larger trial, particularly early dropout.

What we can take away

Both formats appear feasible for some older adults. Above all, this trial points to the need to examine why participants drop out in the first few weeks, without identifying a superior format.