Feasibility and acceptability of a remotely delivered, home-based “exercise snacking” to improve physical function in community-dwelling older adults: a 28-day pilot study

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Source: Frontiers Medicine

Original: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2026.1755508...

Published: 2026-01-23T00:00:00Z

A study investigated whether it is possible to provide exercise to elderly people (65–80 years) remotely via smartphone video in the form of short exercise bouts throughout the day, called “snacked exercise”[1]. Thirty-six participants were randomly assigned to a group that performed two daily bouts of five-exercise chair and bodyweight resistance training (approximately 9 minutes per bout) and a control group that continued with normal activities[1]. Mean adherence in the exercise group was 89.1% with completion of 49.9 of the 56 prescribed sessions and 88.9% of participants reported an intention to continue similar exercises independently[1]. The exercise group showed significant improvements in leg strength, walking speed and physical function compared to the control group, all with large effects[1]. One minor adverse event (plantar fasciitis) and four mild musculoskeletal events occurred during the study, none leading to withdrawal from the program[1]. The study concluded that a remotely delivered home-based "exercise snacking" program is feasible, acceptable, and safe for older adults and represents a practical, low-impact strategy to combat functional decline in an aging population[1].