Healthy
Conditions
Keywords
elderly, strength training, power training, functional capacity, gait biomechanics
Brief summary
The inexorable decline in motor skills during aging provides the investigators with an elderly population with various functional limitations. Among these, the ability to walk, being associated with the risk of falling has been studied by several authors. The adoption of strength and power training as an intervention strategy to reduce the negative effects arising from the physiological or pathological process of aging has been widely discussed in these studies. However, the effects of these interventions on biomechanical gait indicators have not been fully debated yet. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the effects of these two training protocols on functional capacities and biomechanical gait parameters of elderly women.
Detailed description
Three female groups, homogenized by age, body mass index and physical activity level, were formed: the control group (GC: n=8, 69±4 years old), the strength training group (GF: n=6, 67±4 years old) and the power training group (GP, n=7, 68±4 years old). No extra activity was induced to GC's routine. Meanwhile, GF and GP underwent 12 weeks of strength and power training, respectively, with three weekly sessions. While GF performed the exercises with moderate speed (70-90% of 1RM), the GP executed them in fast speed (40-60% of 1RM). A kinematic and electromyographic gait evaluation, as well as balance and functional capacity evaluations, were conducted prior and after the intervention period.
Interventions
OTHERPower Training
This experimental groups underwent an intervention period of power training
OTHERStrength Training
This experimental groups underwent an intervention period of strength training
Sponsors
University of Sao Paulo
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
SINGLE (Subject)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Age
65 Years to 75 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* sedentary women with no physical mobility limitations
Exclusion criteria
* attending less than 75% of the intervention sessions and not attending the final evaluation
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Gait kinematics | through study completion, an average of 6 months | toe clearance: minimum vertical distance of the forefoot and the ground during swing phase |
| Timed up and go test | through study completion, an average of 6 months | time needed to get up from a seated position walk 3 meters and walk back to the chair |
| Muscle power | through study completion, an average of 6 months | knee extensors muscle power |
| electromyography gait analysis | through study completion, an average of 6 months | Knee extensors and flexors muscles co-contraction during the gait cycle |
Outcome results
None listed