Volunteers needed for a university health study

University of Ulster are recruiting for volunteers to take part in a study, entitled 'Effects of exercise and supplementation on physical functioning levels in elderly hip fracture patients', in collaboration with Dr April Heaney from the Ulster Hospital.

This study seeks to investigate the effects of exercise and antioxidant supplementation (antioxidants are substances or nutrients in our foods which prevent damage to cells from harmful molecules) on muscle strength, physical function and Insulin Growth factor 1 (this hormone is known as Insulin Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1 and is linked to the ageing process) in elderly female hip fracture patients and elderly females who have not experienced a hip fracture.

You are invited to participate as a volunteer if you:

• Are a female aged 65-80 years;
• Are community-dwelling (not living in a nursing home);
• You have no history of heart problems and are currently not on any form of medication or taking multivitamins.

What are the potential benefits of taking part?

• Participants will have the knowledge of how to complete a safe home based exercise programme, potentially increasing levels of physical functioning and muscular strength both of upper and lower extremities;
• Participation in the study may result in improvements in levels of functional independence;
• Participants who take part in the study will receive detailed information on various parameters measured which may be of interest;
• Participants also have the option to complete a DXA scan which would provide details in relation to their body composition, bone mineral density and body fat.

As a participant in this study, you would be asked to;
Complete questionnaires providing your health history and to confirm eligibility for the study. The study itself consists of two phases. During the first phase you will complete muscle strength tests and resistance exercises (e.g. leg exercises), then you will be randomly assigned into one of 3 different trial groups:

1. An exercise group,
2. An antioxidant supplementation group or
3. A group receiving their normal standard care over the same 12 week period.

Your participation would involve a total of 6 visits to the test centre in total, lasting no more than 1 hour per session.

Where is the research taking place?
If you decide to take part in the research study depending on your location you have the option of attending The Ulster Hospital or The University of Ulster, Jordanstown on each occasion for testing.

If you are interested in taking part or would like more information, please contact:

Frances Campbell at Campbell-f4@email.ulster.ac.uk or Tel. 028 9036 6987. 

This study has been reviewed and approved by the Office for Research Ethics Committees Northern Ireland (ORECNI) (10/NIR03/55)