The Effect of Water Exercise on Stress Relief in the Aged

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Because up to 80% of all illness encountered in a primary care physician's office is due to psychological stress, stress management is important for the aged who are susceptible to stress. The positive effect of exercise therapy on psychological stress has been studied for a long time, but the research related to geriatric stress and exercise is still insufficient. Therefore, we investigated the effect of aquarobics, which is known to be suitable for the aged, on the stress reduction. METHODS: The data were collected from 11 women over 60 years old who visited the Public Health Center of Seodaemun-gu Office. The subjects participated in a 3 months' water exercise program 2 times a week for 60 minutes. Before and after exercise program, they were assessed according to Modified-Korean BEPSI scores. RESULTS: The subjects exercised 31 times on average (Maximum 40). Before exercise, mean BEPSI score was 1.6, which conformed to moderate risk group, but after 3 months exercise program they showed statistically significant stress reduction when compared to pre-exercise state (P=0.0313). CONCLUSION: We conclude that 3 months water exercise program reduced stress effectively in the aged over 60 years.