Evaluation of required motor abilities in commonly practiced exercise modes and potential training effects among adults.

BACKGROUND: There is a lack of knowledge of the motor abilities required in different exercise modes which are needed when counseling sedentary middle-aged people to start a physically active lifestyle. METHODS: Nominal group technique was used to establish the consensus statement concerning motor abilities and physical fitness in 31 exercise modes. RESULTS: Walking, running, jogging, and calisthenics were regarded as the most suitable exercise modes for most people with no specific requirements. The most demanding exercise modes of evaluated exercise modes were roller skating, downhill skiing, and martial arts, requiring all five motor abilities. Four abilities were necessary in skating, jazz dance, and ice hockey. When exercising is target-oriented, endurance is trained evidently in 27 out of 31 and muscle strength in 22 out of 31 exercise modes. CONCLUSIONS: The consensus statement gives theoretical basis for the components of motor abilities and physical fitness components in different exercise modes. The statement is instructive in order to promote health-enhancing physical activity among sedentary people. This study completes the selection of the exercise modes more detailed than current PA recommendation and guidelines for public health. A variety of exercise modes with one or none motor requirements is available to start. When amount and intensity of exercise is increased the training effects can be found in most components of motor ability and physical fitness.

Effect of brisk walking in 1 or 2 daily bouts and moderate resistance training on lower-extremity muscle strength, balance, and walking performance in women who recently went through menopause: a randomized, controlled trial.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Menopause may induce a phase of rapid decreases in bone mineral density, aerobic fitness, muscle strength, and balance, especially in sedentary women. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects and feasibility of an exercise program of 1 or 2 bouts of walking and resistance training on lower-extremity muscle strength (the force-generating capacity of muscle), balance, and walking performance in women who recently went through menopause. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The subjects were 134 women who recently went through menopause. The study was a 15-week, randomized, controlled trial with continuous and fractionated exercise groups. The outcomes assessed were lower-extremity muscle strength, balance, and walking time over 2 km. Feasibility was assessed by questionnaires, interviews, and training logs. RESULTS: One hundred twenty-eight women completed the study. Adherence to the study protocol was 92%. Both continuous and fractionated exercise groups improved equally in lower-extremity muscle strength and walking time but not in balance. Almost 70% of the subjects considered the program to be feasible. Two daily walking sessions caused fewer lower-extremity problems than did continuous walking. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Brisk walking combined with moderate resistance training is feasible and effective. Fractionating the walking into 2 daily sessions is more feasible than continuous walking.

Predictive value of health-related fitness tests for self-reported mobility difficulties among high-functioning elderly men and women.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The functional independence of elderly populations deteriorates with age. Several tests of physical performance have been developed for screening elderly persons who are at risk of losing their functional independence. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether several components of health-related fitness (HRF) are valid in predicting the occurrence of self-reported mobility difficulties (MD) among high-functioning older adults. METHODS: Subjects were community-dwelling men and women, born 1917-1941, who participated in the assessment of HRF [6.1-m (20-ft) walk, one-leg stand, backwards walk, trunk side-bending, dynamic back extension, one-leg squat, 1-km walk] and who were free of MD in 1996 (no difficulties in walking 2- km, n=788; no difficulties in climbing stairs, n=647). Postal questionnaires were used to assess the prevalence of MD in 1996 and the occurrence of new MD in 2002. Logistic regression analysis was used as the statistical method. RESULTS: Both inability to perform the backwards walk and a poorer result in it were associated with risk of walking difficulties in the logistic model, with all the statistically significant single test items included. Results of 1-km walk time and one-leg squat strength test were also associated with risk, although the squat was statistically significant only in two older birth cohorts. Regarding stair-climbing difficulties, poorer results in the 1-km walk, dynamic back extension and one-leg squat tests were associated with increased risk of MD. CONCLUSIONS: The backwards walk, one-leg squat, dynamic back extension and 1-km walk tests were the best predictors of MD. These tests are recommended for use in screening high-functioning older people at risk of MD, as well as to target physical activity counseling to those components of HRF that are important for functional independence.

Associations of leisure-time physical activity with mobility difficulties among middle-aged and older adults.

The authors investigated the associations of the amount, frequency and intensity, and type of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) with the risk of self-reported difficulty in walking (WD) and stair climbing (SCD) over 16 years in a population-based cohort age 40-64 years at the onset of the study. Their results indicated that the risk for SCD was highest among men and women with a low amount of weekly LTPA. The risk was high also among women with weekly light LTPA compared with women with weekly vigorous LTPA. The risk for WD was highest among men who engaged in fitness activity once a week compared with men who engaged in fitness activity at least three times a week. A low amount of weekly LTPA, light LTPA twice or more a week, and LTPA for keeping fit and healthy less than three times a week are associated with future risk of mobility difficulties among middle-aged and older adults.

A health-related fitness and functional performance test battery for middle-aged and older adults: feasibility and health-related content validity.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility and health-related content validity of 6 health-related fitness (HRF) and 3 functional performance (FP) tests among middle-aged and older persons. DESIGN: Cross-sectional methodologic study. SETTING: Field laboratories in 3 communities of northeast Finland. PARTICIPANTS: A regionally representative, community-based cohort of 55- to 79-year-old men (n=501) and women (n=632). INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Health-related test exclusion rates (%) by age groups and odds ratios (ORs) of subjective health outcomes by fitness categories (least 20%, next 40%, most fit 40%). RESULTS: The health-related test exclusion rates increased with age, mainly because of musculoskeletal health limitations among the women and cardiovascular and musculoskeletal health limitations among the men. With the exception of dynamic back extension, 1-leg squat, 1-leg standing balance, and the 1-km walk among the women 75 years and older, 85% or more of the subjects qualified for the HRF tests and 95% or more for the FP tests. Strong and graded associations were found for cardiorespiratory and musculoskeletal fitness and the FP test levels with perceived health and functional ability status among both the men and the women (OR range, 2-31). The motor fitness test level was primarily associated with functional ability status. CONCLUSIONS: All the HRF and FP tests showed health-related content validity, and 4 of 6 of the HRF tests and all of the FP tests proved to be safe, with minor health-related test exclusions for middle-aged and older adults. The findings may help to target physical activity intervention toward persons at high risk for declining health and functional ability.