Erschienen in:
01.08.2014 | Original Article
Effects of sedentary condition and longterm physical activity on postural balance and strength responses in elderly subjects
verfasst von:
Luisa Pizzigalli, Said Ahmaidi, Alberto Rainoldi
Erschienen in:
Sport Sciences for Health
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Ausgabe 2/2014
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Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this study was to characterise postural control and lower limbs muscular strength in elderly people conditioned to long-term physical activity or sedentariness.
Methods
Three groups of elderly males’ average age (mean ± SD) (67 ± 5 years) was studied: 11 tennis players (TP), 8 long-distance runners (LD) and 9 sedentary (S). The protocol consisted of standard balance tests with eyes open and closed in bipodalic (60 s) and monopodalic (30 s) conditions. Then, it was required to perform three isometric maximal voluntary contractions (MVCs) at the leg press to select the best one as reference. Postural static balance findings were further compared to a group of 15 young healthy sedentary males (average age 26 ± 1 years) (Y).
Results
TP showed more stability than S (p < 0.05) in bipodalic trials and greater force values during MVC than LD (p < 0.01). This group of elderly athletes showed the most similar postural characteristics to Y group. Post-hoc tests on MVC force showed a statistically significant difference (34 %, p < 0.01) between TP (1,456 ± 635 N) and LD (964 ± 219 N) groups. No statistically significant MVC differences were obtained between active and sedentary (1,129 ± 400 N) elderly groups. In TP force peak was found related with the average speeds in A-P and M-L planes of the balance performance (p < 0.05).
Conclusions
It is possible to conclude that postural stability and lower limb’s muscular strength can be increased in elderly people with a power physical activity, such as tennis. Thus it is also possible to speculate that such a conditioning can be considered promising to decrease risks of falling.