Physical exercise results in very important benefits including preventing disease and promoting the quality of life of older individuals. Common interruptions and training cessation are associated with the loss of total health profile, and specifically cardiorespiratory fitness. Would detraining (DT) promote different effects in the cardiorespiratory and health profiles of trained and sedentary older women? Forty-seven older women were divided into an experimental group (EG) and a control group (CG) (EG: n = 28, 70.3 ± 2.3 years; CG: n = 19, 70.1 ± 5.6 years). Oxygen uptake (VO₂₎ and health profile assessments were conducted after the exercise program and after three months of detraining. The EG followed a nine-month multicomponent exercise program before a three-month detraining period. The CG maintained their normal activities. Repeated measures ANOVA showed significant increases in total heath and VO₂ (p < 0.01) profile over a nine-month exercise period in the EG and no significant increases in the CG. DT led to greater negative effects on total cholesterol (4.35%, p < 0.01), triglycerides (3.89%, p < 0.01), glucose (4.96%, p < 0.01), resting heart rate (5.15%, p < 0.01), systolic blood pressure (4.13%, p < 0.01), diastolic blood pressure (3.38%, p < 0.01), the six-minute walk test (7.57%, p < 0.01), Pulmonary Ventilation (VE) (10.16%, p < 0.01), the Respiratory Exchange Ratio (RER) (9.78, p < 0.05), and VO₂/heart rate (HR) (16.08%, p < 0.01) in the EG. DT may induce greater declines in total health profile and in VO₂, mediated, in part, by the effectiveness of multicomponent training particularly developed for older women.

Article: Circuit strength training improves muscle strength, functional performance and anthropometric indicators in sedentary elderly women - The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness 2018 July-August;58(7-8):1029-36 - Minerva Medica - Journals

Background: Physical activity (PA) and physical fitness are key factors for quality of life (QoL) for older women. The aging process promotes the decrease in some capacities such as strength, which affect the activities of daily life. This loss of strength leads to a reduction in balance and an increased risk of falls as well as a sedentary lifestyle. Resistance Training (RT) is an effective method to improve balance and strength but different RT protocols can promote different responses. Power training has a higher impact on the performance of activities of daily life. Therefore, our study aimed to analyze if different RT protocols promote individual responses in balance, QoL and PA levels of older women and which are more effective for the older women. Methods: Ninety-four older women were divided into four RT groups (relative strength endurance training, SET; Traditional strength training, TRT; absolute strength training, AST; power training, PWT) and one control group (CG). Each RT group performed a specific protocol for 16 weeks. At baseline and after 8 and 16 weeks, we assessed balance through the Berg balance scale; PA levels with a modified Baecke questionnaire and QoL with World Health Organization Quality of Life—BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) and World Health Organization Quality of Life—OLD module (WHOQOL-OLD). Results: Balance improved after 16 weeks (baseline vs. 16 weeks; p < 0.05) without differences between all RT groups. PWT (2.82%) and TRT (3.48%) improved balance in the first 8 weeks (baseline vs. 8 weeks; p < 0.05). PA levels increased in PWT, TRT and AST after 16 weeks (baseline vs. 16 weeks; p < 0.05). Conclusion: All RT protocols improved PA levels and QoL after 16 weeks of training. For the improvement of balance, QoL and PA, older women can be subjected to PWT, AST and SET, and not be restricted to TRT.

Introduction: Little research has been done on the effects of muscle-resistance training (RT) in hypertensive older adults. Objective: The aim of this meta-analysis was to verify the efficacy of RT, on a chronic basis, on the systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) of hypertensive older adults. Method: Several literature databases were explored to find studies on controlled and randomized trials that evaluated the effects of RT in hypertensive older adults for more than 10 weeks. Profile of the participants, sample size, intervention protocol, and results of SBP and DBP were analyzed. The PEDro scale and the Cochrane tool were used to analyze the methodological quality of the studies and the risk of bias, respectively. The RevMan5.3 program was used to analyze the results on the SBP and DBP after the RT intervention and in the control groups. Results: The meta-analysis of five studies considering 96 hypertensive individuals who underwent RT and 104 hypertensive control subjects showed that the regular practice of RT from 12 to 16 weeks, three times a week, with three sets from 8 to 12 repetitions at an intensity of 60% to 80% of one-repetition maximum (1-RM), significantly reduced SBP by 7.26 mmHg (95%CI = -9.16 - 5.37) and DBP by 4.84 mmHg (95%CI = -5.89 - 3.79). Conclusion: The muscle-resistance training was effective in reducing, chronically, the blood pressure of hypertensive older adults. It can also decrease the need for medication inherent to hypertension.

Introdução: A fim de desenvolver a saúde e a qualidade de vida, especialmente da população idosa, a Prefeitura da Cidade do Rio de Janeiro implementou o projeto Academia Rio Ar Livre (RAL) nos espaços públicos da cidade. Para acompanhamento longitudinal da repercussão desse projeto é necessário mapear a condição funcional e psicológica dos idosos inscritos nas diversas RALs. Objetivos: Assim, neste estudo, objetivou-se analisar a aptidão físico-funcional e psicológica de idosos frequentadores das RAL/RJ. Métodos: Selecionaram-se 294 voluntários de ambos os sexos (68,6±6,6 anos), que responderam o questionário de Escala de Depressão Geriátrica e o de Qualidade de Vida (WHOQOL-OLD) e realizaram a bateria de aptidão funcional de Rikli e Jones. Resultados: Verificou-se que os participantes possuíam níveis recomendados de aptidão funcional, alto nível de qualidade de vida e não apresentavam quadro de depressão. Conclusão: As RALs parecem contribuir para a manutenção da aptidão físico-funcional e psicológica de idosos.

Sarcopenia is a musculoskeletal, progressive, and generalized disease characterized by decreased muscle strength and mass, leading to reduced quality of life. Sarcopenia is directly related to age, a sedentary lifestyle, and poor nutrition. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of 12-week progressive intensity Resistance Training (RT) associated with nutritional advice on the frequency of sarcopenia in older adults. A total of 74 older adults (37 in the intervention group and 37 in the control group), with a mean age of 69.1 ± 6.85 years, were included in the study. The sarcopenia status of the participants was assessed at baseline and after a 12-week intervention. In the intervention group, resistance training combined with nutritional counseling reduced the prevalence of sarcopenia from 35.14% to 0% (p < 0.001). Additionally, participants in the intervention group showed significant improvements in handgrip strength (from 27.70 ± 10.71 to 30.24 ± 10.38 kg), chair stand test performance (from 14.04 ± 3.46 to 11.67 ± 1.80 s), and time up and go test (from 7.49 ± 1.20 to 6.74 ± 0.95 s) (p < 0.05). On the other hand, the control group increased the incidence of sarcopenia (p < 0.001). After 12 weeks, progressive intensity RT associated with nutritional advice proved to be an effective treatment to reverse sarcopenia and help participants remain non-sarcopenic. In addition, the results of this study provide information about efficient and non-pharmacological sarcopenia treatment.