Aerobic conditioning, blood pressure (BP) and body mass index (BMI) of older participants of the Brazilian Family Health Program (FHP) after 16 weeks of guided physical activity.

Because physical exercise is an efficient means to improve maximum consumption of oxygen (VO(2max)) and reduce body fat, the objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of 4 months of a guided physical activity program on BMI, BP and estimated VO(2max) of older participants of the FHP. The sample was composed of 70 older participants who were divided into two groups: the experimental group (EG) (26 women and 9 men) and the control group (CG) (20 women and 15 men). The program of physical activity included walking, hydrogymnastics, weight-training exercises and stretching exercises. The intensity of the aerobics exercises was set such that participants would achieve 55-65% of the estimated maximum heart rate, with the corresponding effort to be subjectively rated by the participant as 12-13 points on a 6-20 point scale. After 4 months of guided physical activity, there was a significant 19.26% improvement in the VO(2max) in the EG (p ≤ 0.001), and the diastolic pressure in the EG was significantly lower than that in the CG (p ≤ 0.001). In conclusion, the 16-week program of physical activity significantly improved the cardiorespiratory capacity of older individuals.

Pilates method in personal autonomy, static balance and quality of life of elderly females.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the Pilates method on the personal autonomy, static balance and quality of life in healthy elderly females. METHOD: Fifty-two elderly females were selected and submitted to evaluation protocols to assess functional autonomy (GDLAM), static balance (Tinetti) and quality of life (WHOQOL-OLD). The Pilates group (PG: n=27) participated in Pilates exercises twice weekly for eight weeks. Descriptive statistics were compiled using the Shapiro-Wilk test. The level of significance was considered to be p< or =0.05. RESULTS: The dependent Student-t test demonstrated significant post-test differences in the Pilates group in the following areas balance (Delta%=4.35%, p=0.0001) and General Index of GDLAM (Delta%=-13.35%, p=0.0001); the Wilcoxon test demonstrated significant post-test differences in the quality of life Index (Delta%=1.26%, p=0.0411). CONCLUSION: The Pilates method can offer significant improvement in personal autonomy, static balance and quality of life.

Fortalecimiento muscular, nivel de fuerza muscular y autonomía funcional en una población de mujeres mayores / Strength training, level of muscular strength and functional autonomy in a population of elderly women

IntroducciónEl presente estudio tuvo como objetivo evaluar los efectos del fortalecimiento muscular, en las fases neurogénica y miogénica, sobre el nivel de fuerza muscular y la autonomía funcional de una población de mujeres mayores sanas y sedentarias.Material y métodosLa muestra quedó constituida por 40 mujeres, subdivididas de manera aleatoria en: grupo experimental (GE, n=20; 65,62±5,36 años) y grupo control (GC, n=20; 71,45±5,72 años). Se utilizó el protocolo de una repetición máxima (1RM) para la evaluación de la fuerza muscular y la batería de test del protocolo del Grupo de Desarrollo Latino Americano para la Madurez (GDLAM) para evaluar la autonomía funcional. Para el análisis estadístico fueron utilizadas las siguientes pruebas: Kruskal-Wallis (GE, en relación a los 3 momentos) seguido de las comparaciones múltiples de Dunn; t-Student dependiente (GC, en relación a los 2 momentos) y Mann-Whitney y t-Student independiente por el Δ% (comparación inter-grupos).ResultadosLos resultados en los niveles de fuerza muscular del GE, en la fase miogénica, revelaron ganancias significativas cuando fueron comparados con el pre-test (valores de p: extensión de las rodillas [EJ]=0,0001; flexión de rodilla derecha [FJD] y flexión de rodilla izquierda [FJE]=0,0001; supino recto [SUP]=0,0001; curl de tríceps (RT)=0,0001) y en la fase neurogénica (valores de p: EJ=0,0008; FJD y FJE=0,0031; SUP=0,0005; RT=0,0073). Los tests de autonomía funcional obtuvieron mejoras significativas en el GE: Fase neurogénica (valores de p: índice de autonomía GDLAM [IG]=0,0089; caminar 10m [C10m]=0,0106; levantarse de la posición sentada [LPS]=0,0005; levantarse de la posición decúbito ventral [LPDV]=0,0061; levantarse de silla y desplazarse por la casa [LCLC]=0,0072; test de vestirse y quitarse una camiseta [VTC]=0,0104) y fase miogénica (valores de p: IG=0,0001; C10m=0,0005; LPS=0,0000; LPDV=0,004; LCLC=0,0059; VTC=0,0003)...(AU)

IntroductionThis study aimed to evaluate the effects of muscular strengthening on the level of muscular strength in the neurogenic and myogenic phases and functional autonomy in a population of healthy, sedentary, elderly women.Material and methodsThe sample was composed of 40 women, randomly divided into an experimental group (n=20; 65.62±5.36 years) and a control group (n=20; 71.45±5.72). A protocol of one repetition maximum (1 RM) was employed to evaluate muscular strength and the battery of tests included in the protocol of the Latin American Development Group for Maturity was used to evaluate functional autonomy.ResultsThe results in the experimental group showed a significant increase in the myogenic phase in comparison with the pre-test (p-values: knee extension =0.0001; right knee flexion and left knee flexion=0.0001; straight supine=0.0001; triceps curl=0.0001. Functional autonomy tests showed significant improvements in the experimental group: neurogenic phase (p-values: general autonomy index=0.0089; walking 10meters=0.0106; standing from a sitting position =0.0005; standing from a ventral decubitus position =0.0061; standing from a sitting position and walking around the house =0.0072; putting on and taking off a shirt =0.0104) and the myogenic phase (p-values: general autonomy index=0.0001; walking 10meters=0.0005; standing from a sitting position =0.0000; standing from a ventral decubitus position =0.004; standing from a sitting position and walking around the house =0.0059; putting on and taking off a shirt =0.0003).ConclusionsThus, strength training only showed statistically significant differences in the myogenic phase; statistically significant reductions were also found in the time needed to perform functional autonomy tests in the neurogenic phase(AU)

Fortalecimiento muscular, nivel de fuerza muscular y autonomía funcional en una población de mujeres mayores / Strength training, level of muscular strength and functional autonomy in a population of elderly women

IntroducciónEl presente estudio tuvo como objetivo evaluar los efectos del fortalecimiento muscular, en las fases neurogénica y miogénica, sobre el nivel de fuerza muscular y la autonomía funcional de una población de mujeres mayores sanas y sedentarias.Material y métodosLa muestra quedó constituida por 40 mujeres, subdivididas de manera aleatoria en: grupo experimental (GE, n=20; 65,62±5,36 años) y grupo control (GC, n=20; 71,45±5,72 años). Se utilizó el protocolo de una repetición máxima (1RM) para la evaluación de la fuerza muscular y la batería de test del protocolo del Grupo de Desarrollo Latino Americano para la Madurez (GDLAM) para evaluar la autonomía funcional. Para el análisis estadístico fueron utilizadas las siguientes pruebas: Kruskal-Wallis (GE, en relación a los 3 momentos) seguido de las comparaciones múltiples de Dunn; t-Student dependiente (GC, en relación a los 2 momentos) y Mann-Whitney y t-Student independiente por el Δ% (comparación inter-grupos).ResultadosLos resultados en los niveles de fuerza muscular del GE, en la fase miogénica, revelaron ganancias significativas cuando fueron comparados con el pre-test (valores de p: extensión de las rodillas [EJ]=0,0001; flexión de rodilla derecha [FJD] y flexión de rodilla izquierda [FJE]=0,0001; supino recto [SUP]=0,0001; curl de tríceps (RT)=0,0001) y en la fase neurogénica (valores de p: EJ=0,0008; FJD y FJE=0,0031; SUP=0,0005; RT=0,0073). Los tests de autonomía funcional obtuvieron mejoras significativas en el GE: Fase neurogénica (valores de p: índice de autonomía GDLAM [IG]=0,0089; caminar 10m [C10m]=0,0106; levantarse de la posición sentada [LPS]=0,0005; levantarse de la posición decúbito ventral [LPDV]=0,0061; levantarse de silla y desplazarse por la casa [LCLC]=0,0072; test de vestirse y quitarse una camiseta [VTC]=0,0104) y fase miogénica (valores de p: IG=0,0001; C10m=0,0005; LPS=0,0000; LPDV=0,004; LCLC=0,0059; VTC=0,0003).Conclusiones(..) (AU)

IntroductionThis study aimed to evaluate the effects of muscular strengthening on the level of muscular strength in the neurogenic and myogenic phases and functional autonomy in a population of healthy, sedentary, elderly women.Material and methodsThe sample was composed of 40 women, randomly divided into an experimental group (n=20; 65.62±5.36 years) and a control group (n=20; 71.45±5.72). A protocol of one repetition maximum (1 RM) was employed to evaluate muscular strength and the battery of tests included in the protocol of the Latin American Development Group for Maturity was used to evaluate functional autonomy.ResultsThe results in the experimental group showed a significant increase in the myogenic phase in comparison with the pre-test (p-values: knee extension =0.0001; right knee flexion and left knee flexion=0.0001; straight supine=0.0001; triceps curl=0.0001. Functional autonomy tests showed significant improvements in the experimental group: neurogenic phase (p-values: general autonomy index=0.0089; walking 10meters=0.0106; standing from a sitting position =0.0005; standing from a ventral decubitus position =0.0061; standing from a sitting position and walking around the house =0.0072; putting on and taking off a shirt =0.0104) and the myogenic phase (p-values: general autonomy index=0.0001; walking 10meters=0.0005; standing from a sitting position =0.0000; standing from a ventral decubitus position =0.004; standing from a sitting position and walking around the house =0.0059; putting on and taking off a shirt =0.0003).ConclusionsThus, strength training only showed statistically significant differences in the myogenic phase; statistically significant reductions were also found in the time needed to perform functional autonomy tests in the neurogenic phase(AU)