Effect of detraining on physical condition and quality of life in elderly habitual exercisers

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The benefits effect of regular exercise has been well characterized. However, less attention has been given to the changes which occur following cessation of activity (detraining) particularly in the elderly. On many occasions, older adults who habitually attend exercise classes take extended holidays or have breaks and thus they interrupt their exercise. In these situations, it is not uncommon that they complain about stiffness of the joints, increased body pain and a decline in their well-being. Therefore, we hypothesize that old people that habitually exercise will suffer a decline in their physical condition and also their quality of life following the cessation of exercise. The main outcome will be the changes in the strength of the upper extremity measured with the hand-grip strength. Thus, the aim of the present study is to evaluate the effect of 3 months of detraining on different parameters of elderly people who have regularly exercised. In particular, we aim to characterize changes in the physical condition (strength, balance, cardiorespiratory fitness), health related quality of life, number of falls and biochemical parameters. In order to do that we will recruit a minimum of 50 participants from a supervised physical exercise program offered to people aged over 65 years in a public sports center in Getxo (Bizkaia, Basque Country). The inclusion criteria will be to be enrolled in a supervised group exercise program for people aged over 65 during the previous 9 months, at least. Measurements will be performed twice: once at the end of the nine month exercise program and again 3 months later, which is the detraining period. During detraining, participants will be asked to maintain their normal activities of daily living, and to abstain from participating in supervised exercise programs. The following measurements will be undertaken: -Age and gender -Number of falls which had occurred during the detraining period. -Anthropometric data: weight, height, circumference of the waist and hip, in order to calculate the body mass index and the waist-hip ratio calculated. -Health related quality of life using the SF-36 Quality of Life Questionnaire -6 minute walk test. The distance covered in 6 minutes will be measured (m) -Dynamic balance performing the “8-foot up and go” test -Strength of the upper extremity (hand-grip strength) using a hand dynamometry -Strength of the upper extremity using the “arm curl” test (number of flexions and extensions of the arm within 30 s holding a hand dumbbell) -Strength of the lower extremity using the “30 s chair stand ” -Blood adiponectin, interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein measuring it from the blood using ELISA technique