Journal of Exercise Physiology online

Sairag Saadprai, Sudarat Apibantaveesakul, Plaiwan Suttanon, Bunyong Rungroungdouyboon, "​Design Development and Testing of Chair Accessory for Lower Limb Exercising for the Elderly.", August 2021, Volume 24 Number 4, p.82-95​.

Abstract
           The elderly adults seldom engage in physical activities, especially in the COVID-19 situation because they cannot go outside for outdoor activities or participate in group exercises. This is a problem because increasing physical activities is very essential. Another problem is the fact that exercise equipment that can be used at home is limited. Most equipment is large, imported costly, and difficult to use without a caregiver. Hence, the purpose of this study was to report on the design and development of an accessory to be installed with a chair for lower limb exercise for the elderly. It works as a leg press exercise machine. It can be used with any type of chair, including wheelchairs. Resistance and leg degree can be adjusted while exercising to best suit each user. This study also tested its functions. First, the testing revealed that the design of chair accessory has a factor of safety at 2.8 that is adequate with repetitive usage with no damage to the user. Second, the stretch distance is from 0 to 10 cm. Third, the chair accessory “degree of movement” is from 90º to 180º. Also, as to the validity testing of resistance of the chair accessory, the researchers analyzed in each resistance level compared with the standard level using One Sample Test (significance at the P<0.05 level), and it does not show the significant differences from the standard level; at the 2 kg level (left side; P = 0.869, and right side; P= 0.738), at the 4 kg level (left side; P = 0.856, and right side; P = 0.763), and at the 6 kg level (left side; P = 0.059, and right side; P = 0.059). The testing shows that it can be used safely with elderly adults, thus enabling them to have better health and quality of life.