Examining the Effectiveness of a Community-Based Functional Fitness Intervention on Functional Health Outcomes for Adults with Mobility Disabilities" - This project will evaluate the effectiveness of a 16-week Functional Fitness (FF) intervention on functional health outcomes for adults (N=78) with mobility disabilities. Through a two-arm randomized controlled trial with a wait-list control group, we will assess changes in functional health while exploring intervention effects on quality of life. FF is a group- and community-based exercise program that incorporates functional movements intended to support everyday activity engagement and are relevant to tasks required of those with mobility disabilities, including transferring, picking up an object from the ground, or ambulating without supports. While pilot data supports the feasibility of FF for adults with mobility disabilities, adequately powered, randomized trials have not been published. Our objectives are to evaluate the effects of the intervention on self-report physical function (primary aim) and performance-based physical function (secondary aim). We will also evaluate the association between the primary and secondary outcomes; compare outcomes between groups; and compare baseline outcomes to post-intervention and follow-up periods for both groups. We will further assess intervention effects on components of quality of life, identify and evaluate change based on variables of interest (e.g., demographics, attendance), and utilize a qualitative approach to understand participant experience with the intervention. The proposed study will produce empirical evidence for the effectiveness of a community-based program that can help prevent and manage chronic health conditions and increase recommendations for exercise beyond that of traditional rehabilitation. By leveraging the existing infrastructure of a currently operational program, this study will bridge the gap between clinical rehabilitation and community-based exercise, offering scalable and sustainable exercise solutions to enhance functional health and quality of life for adults with mobility disabilities.
