This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of an online multicomponent physical exercise intervention (MPE) on the physical performance (PP) of older adults. A randomized controlled trial was conducted, with 110 participants assigned to either the MPE group or the control group. The MPE group engaged in endurance, strength, balance, and flexibility exercises for at least three days per week, while the control group received educational sessions. PP was evaluated using the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) at baseline and after three months. The intervention group showed a mean increase over control group of 0.81 points on the SPPB scale (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.23-1.40; p=0.000) and in the tandem balance test with 1.26 more seconds (95% CI 0.21-2.31; p=0.019). These findings suggest that the online MPE intervention is effective in enhancing the PP of community-dwelling older adults, which may contribute to a reduction in functional dependence among this population.
Keywords: COVID-19; Multi-component physical exercise; Older adults; Online; Physical performance.
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