PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, NEUROMUSCULAR FUNCTIONS, AND PERCEIVED PHYSIOLOGIC RESOURCES (EXERCISE).
Contributors: Case Western Reserve University.
Published: 1984
Number of pages: 133
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between three neuromuscular tasks, the relationship between components of physical activity, and the effects of physical activity on these tasks and perceived physiologic resources in elderly persons living independently in a residential setting. The three neuromuscular tasks studied were reaction times, movement times, and balance. The components of physical activity studied were frequency and intensity.

The major hypotheses were (1) there will be a negative relationship between balance and reaction times and between balance and movement times; (2) there will be a positive relationship between the components of physical activity; and (3) elderly persons who participate in a six week program of physical activity will have shorter reaction times and movement times and greater balance scores and perceived physiologic resources than those who do not.

The sample consisted of sixty-one persons recruited from senior citizen centers. Thirty-one persons with a mean age of 71.8 years participated in a six week walking program, and thirty persons with a mean age of 71.8 years maintained their normal activities for six weeks. Physician approval to participate in the walking program was required before inclusion in the program.

A pretest-posttest design was used. Baseline data regarding health problems, medications, blood pressure, and pulse were obtained to identify possible contraindications to participation in the walking program. For six consecutive weeks, persons in the control group maintained their normal activity while those in the experimental group walked for 30 minutes three times a week. The walking pace was adjusted so that heart rates remained between 60 to 70 percent of the age adjusted heart rate.

The results of this study did not demonstrate a significant relationship between the three neuromuscular tasks but did demonstrate a significant relationship between components of physical activity. A significant effect of the walking program on reaction times, movement times, and perceived physiologic resources was not found, but a significant effect on balance was found. The walking program may have had no effect on reaction times, movement times, and perceived physiologic resources or initial differences in health, physical ability, and physical fitness confounded the results. Additionally, the effect also may have been too small to measure at this level of activity, and more vigorous activity may have had a larger effect.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 45-08, Section: B, page: 2499.

Thesis (PH.D.)--CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY, 1984.

School code: 0042.