AE may improve physical functioning in healthy older people and is at least as effective as LE
BACKGROUND ageing and sedentary behaviour cause negative changes in the neuromuscular systems of healthy older adults result ing in a decrease in physical functioning .
Exercising in water ( aquatic exercise , AE ) has been shown to be effective at improving physical functioning in this population ; however , no systematic review with meta- analysis has been published .
Effectiveness of water exercise on postural mobility in the well elderly: an experimental study on balance enhancement.
BACKGROUND The fear of falling may cause elderly people to limit their movement . As movement errors are known to facilitate the acquisition of motor skills , the elderly may inadvertently cause the loss of postural skills by constraining their movements , and hence avoid potential movement errors . It was hypothesized that by having elderly individuals exercise in a risk-free environment-water was utilized in this experiment-their postural capabilities would improve . METHODS Four groups of elderly subjects ( 80 + /- 5.8 years old ) were placed into four groups : Water Exercisers ; L and Exercisers ; Water Sitters ; and L and Sitters . Each group met twice per week for 45 minutes for 5 weeks of simple exercises or socializing in the design ated medium . The distance each individual could reach ( Functional Reach , FR ) was measured at the end of each week . RESULTS Initially , each group was at risk ( FR < 10 inches ) for falling Statistical testing showed that the Water Exercisers ( WE ) increased their FR almost every week ; the L and Exercisers ( LE ) increased only during the first week ; and the Water Sitters ( WS ) and L and Sitters ( LS ) did not increase at all . The FRs after 5 weeks were 13.4 + /- 1.6 ( WE ) , 11.3 + /- 1.5 ( LE ) , 9.6 + /- 1.3 ( WS ) , and 9.3 + /- 0.71 ( LS ) inches for each group , respectively . CONCLUSIONS The data showed that the postural capabilities in these elderly people , as measured by the FR , were enhanced by the production of movement errors that was facilitated in a water environment ( in the case of the Water groups ) or the initiation of a novel exercise program ( L and Exercisers ) . Alternative explanations , and implication of these results , are discussed
AE may improve physical functioning in healthy older people and is at least as effective as LE
BACKGROUND ageing and sedentary behaviour cause negative changes in the neuromuscular systems of healthy older adults result ing in a decrease in physical functioning .
Exercising in water ( aquatic exercise , AE ) has been shown to be effective at improving physical functioning in this population ; however , no systematic review with meta- analysis has been published .