下肢運動改善中高齡者的功能性體適能、基本生理指標、運動自我效能、睡眠品質及心理健康

Lower Extremity Exercise Improves Functional Fitness, Physiological Indexes, Exercise Self-Efficacy, Sleep Quality, and Mental Health in Middle-Aged and Older Individuals

背景：中高齡者因老化導致骨骼肌流失增加肌少症的發生。肌少症易產生下肢肌耐力衰退，社區每年中高齡者跌倒發生率約為30-40％，易造成失能及骨折而影響生活品質，在心理健康上也會受到影響，嚴重者甚至會死亡，由此可見預防中高齡者下肢肌力衰弱問題應予以重視。目的：本研究目的著重在社區健康促進，針對社區中高齡者，探討下肢運動介入改善其功能性體適能、基本生理指標、運動自我效能、睡眠品質及心理健康的成效。方法：本研究徵求55歲以上社區中高齡者為研究對象，採方便取樣方式，對照組及實驗組各50名，為期12週，每週3次，每次下肢運動介入時間為50分鐘，以比較有無下肢運動介入之中高齡者功能性體適能、基本生理指標、運動自我效能、睡眠品質、心理健康的差異情形。結果：社區中高齡者下肢運動介入措施可提升功能性體適能、基本生理指標、運動自我效能、睡眠品質及整體心理健康狀態，實驗組提升數值顯著優於對照組（p＜.05）。結論／實務應用：建議將下肢運動介入可促進身心健康的觀念與應用，普及於社區之中高齡者，預防其下肢肌力衰退老化及失能，將有助中高齡者達到健康老化的願景。

Background: Middle-aged and older individuals suffer from skeletal muscle loss due to aging, increasing the risk of sarcopenia. Muscular dystrophy reduces lower-extremity muscle endurance. The annual incidence of falls in the community is about 30-40%. Falls contribute to disability and fractures, affect quality of life, reduce mental health, and, in severe cases, result in death. Therefore, preventing lower limb muscle weakness in middle-aged and older individuals should be taken seriously. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to promote community health with a focus on older, community-dwelling individuals. The effects of a lower-extremity exercise intervention on middle-aged and older individuals in terms of improving functional fitness, physiological indexes, exercise self-efficacy, sleep quality, and mental health were explored. Methods: This study used convenience sampling to recruit community residents over 55 years old as participants, with 50 participants assigned to the control group and to the experimental group, respectively. The experimental group participated in a 50-min lower extremity exercise intervention three times a week for 12 weeks. Differences in functional fitness, basic physiological index, exercise self-efficacy, sleep quality, and mental health variables between the two groups were assessed at the conclusion of the intervention. Results: The lower-extremity muscle exercise program significantly improved functional fitness, physiological indexes, exercise self-efficacy, sleep quality, and overall mental health status in the experimental group, as compared to the control group (p < .05). Conclusions/ Implications for Practice: It is recommended that the concept and application of lower extremity movement intervention should be popularized among middle-aged and older individuals to promote physical and mental health, prevent the decline and loss of lower extremity muscle strength, and help realize healthy aging goals.