Effects of Different Chair-Based Exercises on Salivary Biomarkers and Functional Autonomy in Institutionalized Older Women

ABSTRACT

Purpose: The aim of this study was to test the effects of chair-based exercise programs on salivary stress hormones, physical fitness, and functional autonomy of institutionalized older women. Method: In total, 47 participants (80 ± 8.04 years old) were recruited and allocated into three groups: chair-based aerobic exercises (CAE, n = 19), chair-based elastic-band strength exercises (CSE, n = 15), and a control group (CG, n = 13). A 14-week exercise intervention was done for the CAE and CSE groups, two times per week, in no consecutive days. Members of the CG did not participate in any type of exercise but kept their regular lifestyle. Fear of falling, autonomy, physical fitness, salivary cortisol, and alpha-amylase levels were assessed before and after the intervention. Results: The CAE group improved upper and lower body strength, agility–dynamic balance, and autonomy, with fear of falling decreasing significantly (p < .05, moderate effect size). Both exercise groups showed a trend toward an increase in salivary alpha-amylase levels (CAE = 43%, d = .31, and CSE = 44%, d = .41). Conclusion: Both exercise programs were able to improve functional autonomy, even in elders older than 80 years of age. It might be interesting to investigate the effectiveness of combining both aerobic and strength exercises in a unique protocol. The modulation effect of exercise in the hormonal responses needs to be further explored.

KEYWORDS:

• Activities of daily life
• alpha-amylase
• cortisol
• physical fitness
• autonomy

Acknowledgments

We thank the social and health care support center that agreed to participate in this study: Cáritas Diocesana and Venerável Ordem Terceira and Santa Casa da Misericordia, Coimbra. Thanks to students Filipa Pedrosa, Fábio Direito, and Nelba Souza for volunteering to help with exercise implementation and data collection.

Additional information

Funding

This study was financed by the Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation (FCT), integrated in the research project entitled “PRO-HMESCI: Hormonal mediation of exercise on cognition, stress and immunity” [FCT PTDC/DTP-DES/0154/2012]. The PhD students Guilherme Furtado and Matheus Uba Chupel were financed by a grant from CAPES/CNPQ, Ministry of Education, Brazil, reference BEX: 11929/13-8 and BEX: 13642/13-8, respectively. José Pedro Ferreira and Ana Teixeira are registered at CIDAF (UID/PTD/04213/2016).