The exercise intensity of square-stepping exercise in community-dwelling late elderly females.
Ryota Uchida, Shigeharu Numao, Takashi Kurosaki and 2 others
PMID 33132526WHAT IT FOUND
Square-stepping performed alone reached moderate intensity, but in group classes it dropped to low intensity because participants waited for turns.
Therapists should not assume a class session equals moderate exercise, as the actual workload is lower than individual performance.
Key findings
01When performed individually, the three step patterns resulted in moderate-intensity exercise levels.
02During actual group classes, the average intensity fell to low levels, significantly lower than when the steps were done alone.
03The lower intensity in classes is likely due to waiting time while other participants stepped, which was included in the measurement.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study only included females, so results may not apply to males. Participants were from rural areas in Japan, which may not reflect other populations. The sample size for the individual testing was small (12 participants). Educational level and cognitive function were not measured, which could influence how participants engaged with the exercise. The group measurement included waiting time, making it difficult to separate the intensity of the stepping itself from the rest periods in a shared space.
Declared interests
None declared.
The easy way to misread this
Do not prescribe square-stepping classes as a source of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise based on this paper. The group format resulted in low-intensity activity due to waiting time, which is significantly different from the moderate intensity seen when the steps were performed individually.