Can tiny exercise snacks keep seniors strong?
NCT ID NCT07551206
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This pilot study tests whether brief, resistance-based exercise snacks (sit-to-stand, squat, heel raise) done throughout the day can improve leg strength, balance, and thinking in pre-frail adults aged 70 and older. Sixty participants will be split into four groups, each doing a different number of repetitions per bout. The study lasts 8 weeks and will help determine the best exercise pattern for future research.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- resistance-based exercise snacks (sit-to-stand, squat, heel raise)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could show that brief, frequent exercise sessions improve strength and balance in older adults, pointing toward a simple way to reduce frailty.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early pilot study (60 people) testing different exercise patterns. It may not show clear benefits, and results may not apply to all older adults.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 60 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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May 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Aug 2026
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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65 years and older
- Sex
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Male participants only
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * 1\. Age 65 years or older 2. Community-dwelling (living independently, not in a nursing home or long-term care facility) 3. Pre-frail status confirmed by Fried Frailty Phenotype score of 1-2 4. Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score ≥24 5. Able to walk independently with or without a cane 6. No regular lower limb strength training (less than 2 times per week) in the past 3 months 7. Willing to adhere to the 8-week exercise intervention and complete all assessments 8. Provide written informed consent before any study-related procedures Exclusion Criteria: * 1\. Lower limb fracture or joint replacement surgery within the past 6 months 2. Unstable angina or uncontrolled hypertension (resting systolic blood pressure ≥160 mmHg) 3. Severe osteoporosis (T-score \<-2.5 with history of fragility fracture) 4. Neurological disorders affecting motor function (e.g., Parkinson's disease, post-stroke hemiplegia) 5. Severe cognitive impairment (MMSE score \<24) 6. Unstable cardiac or pulmonary disease (e.g., recent myocardial infarction, severe COPD exacerbation) 7. Severe visual or hearing impairment that limits ability to follow instructions or perform exercises safely 8. Participation in another interventional clinical trial within the past 30 days 9. Any other medical or psychological condition that, in the opinion of the principal investigator, would compromise participant safety or study adherence
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As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Capital University of Physical Education and Sports, Beijing
Beijing, China