In Navarre, 60 people aged 100 will be assigned to either their usual routine or 12 weeks of home-based exercise

In Navarre, 60 people aged 100 will be assigned to either their usual routine or 12 weeks of home-based exercise

The BIOANCIENT_EX record appeared on ClinicalTrials.gov on July 23. The team will compare participants' physical function before the program and after 12 weeks. One group will maintain its usual routine, while the other will exercise at home.

When a person aged 100 walks and rises from a chair more easily, observation alone cannot separate the effect of physical activity from the effect of better health at baseline. A healthier person is more likely to retain both physical function and the ability to exercise. BIOANCIENT_EX will address this problem by comparing two groups formed through random assignment before exercise begins. This design will allow the researchers to compare changes in physical function with those observed among participants who maintain their usual routine.

The trial plans to enroll 60 residents of Navarre who are 100 years old and can stand up and transfer independently or with limited assistance. One group will maintain its usual routine. The other will perform strength, static and dynamic balance, joint mobility, flexibility, and aerobic exercises at home. The team will adjust the difficulty every three weeks, contact participants by telephone or video, and make home visits when necessary.

The primary outcome will be the SPPB, a measure of physical function scored from 0 to 12 points. Participants complete balance tests, walk a short distance, and rise from a chair several times. The results of these tasks are combined into a single score. After 12 weeks, the researchers will also compare arm and leg strength, independence in daily activities, mobility, cognitive test performance, and RNA profiles in plasma and extracellular vesicles.

In a 2025 Spanish study, 12 participants completed 12 weeks of strength training in a nursing home. Six trained under supervision, and six formed the control group. In the training group, the median SPPB score increased from 2,3 to 5,0. BIOANCIENT_EX moves the exercise program into participants' homes, plans to enroll 60 participants, and adds balance, flexibility, and aerobic exercises. The protocol will test how physical function changes in people aged 100 who follow this type of exercise program.