Effects of aquatic exercise on mental health, functional autonomy and oxidative stress in depressed elderly individuals: A randomized clinical trial

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of aquatic exercise on mental health, functional autonomy and oxidative stress parameters in depressed elderly individuals. METHODS: Initially, ninety-two elderly individuals were included in the study and were allocated into the depression group (n=16) and nondepression group (n=14). Both groups engaged in the aquatic exercise program for 12 weeks, including two weekly sessions (45 min/session) at a low intensity (between 50% and 60% of maximal heart rate or Borg scale scores of 13 to 14) throughout the intervention. All outcomes were evaluated at baseline and 12 weeks later. RESULTS: The patients were 63.5±8.8 years old. The following scores were decreased after training in the depressed group: depression (53%), anxiety (48%), and Timed Up & Go (33%). The following scores increased: Berg Balance Scale (9%) and flexibility (44%). Regarding the blood-based parameters, there were decreases in protein carbonylation (46%) and nitric oxide (60%) and increases in glutathione (170%) and superoxide dismutase (160%) in the depression group (p<0.005). CONCLUSIONS: The aquatic exercise program reduces depression and anxiety, improves functional autonomy and decreases oxidative stress in depressed elderly individuals.

Prática da vela: a questão dos ritos e riscos / Practice of sailing: the question of rites and risks / Práctica de vela: una cuestión de los ritos y riesgos

O estudo objetivou compreender o significado do rito na dimensão simbólica da prática da vela. A pesquisa etnográfica multisituada teve a participação de 19 velejadores da cidade de João Pessoa (Paraíba­Brasil), que foram entrevistados e observados antes, durante e após o velejo. Os resultados revelaram que os ritos na prática da vela consistem em três fases: i) passagem da terra para o mar, que caracteriza o afastamento da estrutura social; ii) fase limiar, a ação de velejar, que alcança o estado de comunhão; iii) passagem do mar para a terra, o reingresso à estrutura social, com a sensação de novo status. Conclui-se que os ritos na prática da vela colaboram para o velejador perceber a ressignificação da sua existência no mundo.

The study aimed to understand the meaning of the rite in the symbolic dimension of the practice of sailing. The research, multi-sited and ethnographic, was attended by 19 sailors from João Pessoa (Paraíba, Brazi)l, who were interviewed and observed before, during and after sailing. The results revealed that the rites in the sailing practice consist in three phases: i) transition from land to sea, which features the detachment of the social structure, ii) threshold phase, the action of sailing reaching the state of communion, iii) transition from sea to land, reentering in the social structure with a new sense of status. It was concluded that the sailing rites collaborate in order to make the sailor realize the new meaning of his existence in the world.

El estudio tuvo como objetivo comprender el significado del rito en la dimensión simbólica de la práctica de la vela. La investigación etnográfica multisituada, tuve participación de 19 practicantes de vela de la ciudad de João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brasil, donde fueran entrevistados y observados antes, durante y después de navegar. Los resultados revelaron que los ritos en la práctica de vela se consiste de tres fases: i) la transición de la tierra para el mar, que caracteriza el apartado de la estructura social; ii) fase inicial, la acción de practicar la vela, que alcanza el estado de comunión; iii) pasaje del mar para la tierra, el reingreso en la estructura social, con la sensación de nuevo status. Se concluye que los ritos en la práctica de vela colaboran para que el practicante vela percebe el resignificado de su existencia en el mundo.