Rehabilitation Approaches to Reduce Frailty and Promote Healthy Aging
A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Health Care Sciences".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 913
Special Issue Editor
Interests: intensive care units; critical illness; frailty and elderly patients
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Frailty Syndrome is a clinical condition of genetic and neuroendocrine origin, causing greater vulnerability to diseases or acute stress in the elderly, and is characterized by reduced muscle mass and strength and low energy when carrying out daily activities.
The phenotype of this syndrome described by Fried is considered the gold standard for diagnosis and has five components: unintentional weight loss (greater than or equal to 4.5 kg in the last year), a feeling of exhaustion, physical inactivity, a low walking speed, and decreased grip strength. Individuals displaying one or two positive features are characterized as pre-frail, and those displaying more than two are considered frail. The most common symptoms are involuntary weight loss, weakness, a reduced walking speed, and exhaustion.
It is important to note that no specific rehabilitation approach has yet been determined to treat Frailty Syndrome as a whole; however, physical exercise remains one of the best options to increase muscle mass.
Recent studies have shown that with an appropriate physical rehabilitation program, it is possible to prevent or even reverse frailty. There is a consensus that physical activity is the best treatment for frailty in older adults, but none on the ideal type of exercise. Recent reviews indicate that multicomponent modalities are the most often recommended, with the most frequently cited practices being resistance exercises and balance training. Such initiatives aim to promote healthy aging and have increased the life expectancy in this population.
It is important to highlight the impact of frailty on this population’s quality of life, as well as their participation in the workplace. This fragility not only translates into greater difficulty in dealing with certain occupational risks but also a greater likelihood of suffering violence and aggression or being excluded from the labor market. Furthermore, loneliness in older people is often related to their frailty. All these phenomena have a major impact on public health, and addressing them requires not only treatment but also health promotion initiatives.
Therefore, this Special Issue will compile studies that report on treatment, rehabilitation, and prevention strategies for managing Frailty Syndrome.
Dr. Luiz Alberto Forgiarini-Júnior
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- frailty syndrome
- rehabilitation
- aging
- health promotion
- physiotherapy
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