Evaluation of the impact of an original exercise program using smovey® Vibroswing rings on physical fitness, balance, foot load, risk of falls and upper limb muscle strength, hand-eye coordination and quality of life in older women.

1. Original exercise program using smovey® Vibroswing rings 2. Currently, a progressive aging of societies is observed. Senility is a period of life in which involutionary processes take place concerning all body systems, including anatomical and functional systems. Therefore, the key task is to undertake such actions, the implementation of which will be conducive to the so-called successful model of senility. Physiotherapists working with the elderly are constantly looking for new solutions thanks to which they could better and more effectively activate the elderly, improve their physical capacity, and thus prevent e.g. failures and their consequences. The opinions of practitioners show that seniors prefer to exercise with various types of equipment. One of the latest offers of exercise equipment dedicated to seniors are smovey® Vibroswing rings. According to the manufacturers of this equipment, exercises with the use of smovey® Vibroswing rings, e.g. they activate 97% of muscles, affect the balance of the body, prevent falls, make the connective tissue more flexible, strengthen the cardiovascular system and stimulate metabolism. However, in the available literature, there are very few publications confirming the above-described effectiveness of smovey® Vibroswing rings. Smovey® Vibroswing System is an exercise set, a system of two swinging rings, consisting of a spiral hose inside, with 4 steel balls and a handle. The movement of the balls creates vibrations, from 0-460 Hz, which are transmitted through the handle and provide local vibrations transmitted through the hands to the rest of the body. The average amplitude measured by the manufacturer on the handle using a special sensor is about 60 Hz. The weight of the equipment is 0.5 kg. During movement, it can reach up to 5 kg due to the centrifugal force. Smovey® is an exercise device that generates vibrations stochastically, i.e. with a constantly and rapidly changing frequency. During the exercises, two rings held in the hands are used. 3. Material – 60 women aged between 60 and 70 will take part in the research. The examined women will be divided into 3 groups: ES group (20 women) – experimental – original exercise program using smovey® Vibroswing rings E group (20 women) – experimental – original exercise program C group (20 women) – control – without therapeutic intervention. Inclusion criteria for studies: age between 60 and 70; no contraindications to undertake physical activity; no injuries within the musculoskeletal system up to 12 months before the start of the project; no cognitive impairment (MMSE score above 27 points). Procedure - In both study groups, an identical rehabilitation program will be carried out, which will consist of 3 parts: a 5-10-minute warm-up (general development exercises), a 30-minute main part (aerobic, balance and strength exercises) and a 5-10-minute cool down ( breathing, relaxation and stretching exercises). Women from the second study group (ES group) will perform all exercises using smovey® Vibroswing rings. Both study groups will participate in physical activities three times a week for 6 weeks. Each session will last about 45 minutes, and the intensity of the effort will not exceed 40-60% of maximum heart rate. The heart rate of the study women will be monitored using a heart rate monitor (Polar Sport Tester, Polar Electro Oy, Finland). To monitor adherence to the intervention session attendance checklists will be used. Examples od the exercises: Warm-up Exercises in place while standing: - circulation of the wrists, forearms and shoulders backwards - active walking in place, with alternately working arms - lifting arms sideways up, return - moving the arms forward and backward (drawing a circle) - side bends of the torso, arms along the torso - arms crossed over the chest, torso twists Walking exercises: - march with alternating arm work - skipping A marching (above the knee) with alternating shoulder work - skipping C marching (heels towards the buttocks) Main part Exercise in place: - learning and consolidating the correct grip of the equipment (equipment held in both hands) - learning the correct posture during exercise - parallel and alternating swings of varying intensity - foot activation (transition from heels to toes) - balance - activation of knee and hip joints during parallel and alternating swings - raising the knees higher and higher (maximum to a right angle) during parallel and alternating swings - cross swings in place - parallel lateral swings in place - parallel swings - switching from heels to toes – swings alternately - switching from heels to toes - cross swings - switching from heels to toes Movement exercises: - parallel/alternating/crossing swings with lifting the leg, bent at the knee - parallel/alternating/crossing swings with swinging legs forward and backward - parallel/alternating/crossing swings and quarter squats - parallel/alternating swings with a lunge/stride - side swings parallel with leg abduction and adduction - cross swings with abduction to change legs - coordination exercises criss-cross in place / with footwork Cool down part - rings on the shoulders - activation of the lymphatic system in the sagittal, frontal and transverse planes - massage of legs and arms with smovey while sitting or lying down - breathing exercises - lower rib breathing, in a standing, sitting or lying position. Research tools Senior Fitness Test – physical fitness BioSway balance platform – balance and risk of falls FreeMED platform – foot load Pablo system - upper limb muscle strength and hand-eye coordination SF – 36 - quality of life 4. Provider of all intervention - physiotherapist (Master degree) 5. Model of delivery: face to face 6. Type of location where the intervention occurred - Central Research and Development Laboratory, University of Physical Education in Krakow, Poland