Longitudinal Changes in Functional Fitness in Older Adults

ABSTRACT

Just as increases occurring in performance during the physical exercise period continue to be a topic of research, how long elderly individuals preserve these increases are also researched. The aim of this research is to investigate changes occurring in physical fitness of older adults in the exercise, detraining and retraining periods. The first period of the research included 15 elderly individuals (11 female, 4 male) with mean age 70.5 ± 4.35 15 years, 163 ± 11 cm height, and 68.5 ± 10.8 kg. In the second period, 13 older adults (9 female, 4 male) participated with mean age 70.1 ± 3.28 years, 161 ± 0.08 cm height and 78.8 ± 10.9 kg. Older adults participated in regular multicomponent exercise 2 days per week. The Senior Fitness Test (SFT) battery for older adults was used to assess functional fitness. Exercises were completed for 6 months and then there was a break of 5 months. The detraining effect was investigated. Five months later the second exercise period continued for 6 months. A multivariate analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to identify significant differences between the first year and second year. There were significant differences in the physical fitness parameters of leg strength.

KEYWORDS:

• Exercise
• detraining
• retraining
• older adult
• physical fitness

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to all elderly participants who participated in the research and the older adults center.