Results concerning the association of chronic physical activity and motor performance are mixed and seem to be influenced by the study design , kind of exercise , motor task , and exercise intensity .
Regarding motor learning , a high physical activity or cardiovascular fitness level seems to boost the initial phase of motor learning ; results differ with respect to motor retention .
Overall , ( motor-coordinative ) intervention studies seem to be more promising than cross-sectional studies
Upper extremity motor performance declines with increasing age .
However , older adults need to maintain , learn new and relearn known motor tasks .
Research with young adults indicated that regular and acute physical activity might facilitate motor performance and motor learning processes .
Therefore , this review aim ed to examine the association between chronic physical activity and acute bouts of exercise on motor performance and motor learning in upper extremity motor tasks in older adults .
Effect of aerobic exercise on tracking performance in elderly people: a pilot study.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Although much is known about the benefits of aerobic exercise on cardiovascular health , little research has been done on the effect of aerobic exercise on motor performance . This study examined whether aerobic exercise has an effect on visuospatial information processing during finger-movement tracking in elderly subjects . SUBJECTS Fifteen elderly subjects ( mean age=83.2 years , SD=5.7 , range=72 - 91 ) from a senior housing complex were r and omly assigned to a control group or an experimental ( exercise ) group . Twelve subjects completed the study , and data obtained for 10 subjects were used for data analysis ( 2 control subjects were eliminated to allow for matched-pairs analysis between the experimental and control groups ) . The control group ( n=5 ) had a mean age of 80.2 years ( SD=7.8 ) . Subjects in the experimental group ( n=5 ) had a mean age of 84.8 years ( SD=2.5 ) . METHODS The intervention consisted of group exercise 3 times a week for 8 consecutive weeks , and included calisthenics ( eg , marching in place , side stepping , mock boxing ) , stationary bicycling , and walking . A  finger-movement tracking test  and submaximal grade d exercise tolerance step tests  were performed before and after training to determine changes in finger-movement tracking and any aerobic training effects . RESULTS Matched-pairs t tests showed a difference in tracking from pretest to posttest in the experimental group compared with the control group . Step test performance did not differ between the 2 groups . DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION The results of this small-scale study with a limited number of subjects indicate that , for elderly people , finger-movement tracking performance can improve with aerobic exercise , despite the absence of an aerobic training effect . Possible mechanisms for the treatment effect on information processing are discussed
Results concerning the association of chronic physical activity and motor performance are mixed and seem to be influenced by the study design , kind of exercise , motor task , and exercise intensity .
Regarding motor learning , a high physical activity or cardiovascular fitness level seems to boost the initial phase of motor learning ; results differ with respect to motor retention .
Overall , ( motor-coordinative ) intervention studies seem to be more promising than cross-sectional studies
Upper extremity motor performance declines with increasing age .
However , older adults need to maintain , learn new and relearn known motor tasks .
Research with young adults indicated that regular and acute physical activity might facilitate motor performance and motor learning processes .
Therefore , this review aim ed to examine the association between chronic physical activity and acute bouts of exercise on motor performance and motor learning in upper extremity motor tasks in older adults .