Evaluation of selected forms of physical activity of older people - pilot study

Abstract

Abstract Introduction: Regular physical activity can prevent sharp decline in the level of physical fitness of older people [1]. Both the quantity and quality of physical activity are important [2]. The aim of this study was to evaluate selected forms of physical activity of older people in terms of intensity of effort. Material and methods: In the study participated 10 women at the age of 73.6 ± 6.5 years, from the Third Age University at the University of Physical Education in Warsaw. The study included four forms: gymnastics, Nordic walking, dancing and Tai Chi. The study used IDEEA device (Intelligent Device for Energy Expenditure and Activity) and a pulse recorder (Polar). In addition, each of the woman immediately after class evaluated its intensity with the 20 points Borg Scale. Results: The results indicate a large diversity of physical activity in terms of work done, energy consumption, heart rate. Nordic Walking classes were most intense (2.8 kJ/min, 3.5 kcal/min, 101.5 beats/min) and Tai Chi was least intense (0.5 kJ/min, 1.6 kcal/min , 65 beats/ min). Subjective evaluation of intensity (Borg Scale) of the trainings confirms the values obtained by the objective methods - quite heavy (14 points) in Nordic Walking and very light (10 points) in Tai Chi. Conclusions: There is a need for a reliable analysis of proposed forms for the elderly in Poland. Using multiple measurement tools will help to increase the objectivity of the evaluation and defining their impact on the capabilities of older people. A comprehensive assessment can be used in programming physical activity for older people.