Abstract
To evaluate the equilibrium and flexibility of elderly people submitted to a training program involving physical therapy exercises. Six elderly people were selected, average age 69.66 years. Wells’s Bench and the Functional Reach Test (FRT) plus Timed Up and Go Test (TUG) were employed respectively to assess muscle flexibility and balance analysis. Tests were performed before and after the exercise program which consisted of thirty-five 50 min physical therapy group sessions, twice a week, with stretching exercises, gait training, active exercises, postural correction exercises and breathing exercises. Statistical analysis was done with Sigma-Stat® 3.5. Assessments occurred before and after sessions, and the final test was undertaken after 35 sessions. There was a statistically significant increase in the flexibility of the posterior muscle chain. In the TUG test, the group achieved a shorter time after treatment, with statistical significance between tests. There was a statistically significant increase in the average FRT after the sessions. Current study showed better results in the execution of tests evaluated after the program of physiotherapy activities, contributing towards the improvement of muscle flexibility and balance of elderly people.
Highlights
In Gerontogeriatry, functional capacity is the product of the interaction between physical and mental health, autonomy in daily and social integration, with the support of the family and economical resources (Mitre et al, 2008; Nakatani, Silva, Bachion, & Nunes, 2009)
Current research is scientifically relevant since it evaluates the efficiency of a physical training program that attends elderly people of a municipal health unit, focusing on two main changes which characterize aging, equilibrium and flexibility, and demonstrates whether the methodology of group activities is capable of minimizing the deleterious effects of aging
When evaluation is given according to the participantsgender, a significant increase in flexibility was verified for females (n = 4; p < 0.001) and males (n = 2; p < 0.001) after the sessions
Summary
In Gerontogeriatry, functional capacity is the product of the interaction between physical and mental health, autonomy in daily and social integration, with the support of the family and economical resources (Mitre et al, 2008; Nakatani, Silva, Bachion, & Nunes, 2009). Aging is a physiological process and the maintenance of the functional ability in the elderly may be influenced by several factors, namely, changes in equilibrium and in muscle flexibility (Overstall, 2003; Araújo, 2008) and loss of muscle mass and strength. An age-related decrease in functional capacity are evident in all parts of the systems and results in the fact that one third of over-65-year-old people experience falls (Overstall, 2003). Current research is scientifically relevant since it evaluates the efficiency of a physical training program that attends elderly people of a municipal health unit, focusing on two main changes which characterize aging, equilibrium and flexibility, and demonstrates whether the methodology of group activities is capable of minimizing the deleterious effects of aging. Current paper evaluates the equilibrium and flexibility of elderly people who undergo a physicalphysiotherapeutic group training program
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