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

Background Age-related declines in muscle strength and physical function increase the risk of frailty, falls, and loss of independence in older adults. Traditional structured exercise programs often have low participation because of time constraints, limited access to facilities, and health-related barriers. “Exercise snacking” defined as brief bouts of resistance exercise accumulated across the day, may offer a more flexible and feasible option. Methods In this 28-day pilot randomized controlled trial, 36 community-dwelling older adults aged 65–80 years were randomly assigned to a home-based “exercise snacking” (ES) group ( n = 18) or a control group ( n = 18). The ES group performed two daily bouts of a five-exercise, chair- and body weight based resistance circuit (~9 min per bout), remotely supervised via smartphone video submission, while controls continued their usual activities. Feasibility was assessed by retention and adherence (completed vs. prescribed sessions), and acceptability by a five-point Likert scale and semi-structured interviews. Physical function outcomes included the Short Physical Performance Battery [SPPB; 4-m walk, five-times sit-to-stand (5-STS), and a balance test], as well as the 60-s sit-to-stand (60 s-STS) and timed up and go (TUG) tests. Two-way repeated-measures analysis of variance and partial η 2 was used to explore preliminary intervention effects. Results Thirty-three participants (ES = 16, control = 17) completed follow-up (retention 88.9%). Among ES completers, mean adherence was 89.1%, with 49.9 ± 3.7 of 56 prescribed sessions completed. Acceptability was high (mean enjoyment 4.3/5), and 88.9% of participants reported intending to continue similar exercises independently. One minor adverse event (plantar fasciitis) and four mild musculoskeletal incidents were recorded, none leading to withdrawal. Compared with controls, the ES group showed significant improvements in SPPB total score, five-STS time, 4-m walk time, TUG time, and 60 s-STS repetitions, all with large effect sizes, while balance scores remained stable in both groups. Conclusion A remotely delivered, home-based “exercise snacking” program appears feasible, acceptable, and safe for community-dwelling older adults and elicits meaningful short-term improvements in lower-limb strength and endurance, and gait speed. These findings support exercise snacking as a practical, low-burden strategy to counteract functional decline in aging populations and warrant larger, longer-term trials.