ABSTRACT
Introduction:
Aging is inevitable and irreversible, but with the advancement of technology, life expectancy is increasing every year, bringing proposals for various interventions to improve the quality of life. One such intervention is physical exercise programs.
Objectives:
To investigate the impact of multicomponent training in circuits on functional autonomy parameters in elderly women.
Methods:
Elderly were recruited and distributed in two groups: trained (N = 16) and non-trained (N = 15). Those in the trained group performed 75-minute training sessions twice a week over a 56-week period. The resistance training included upper and lower limbs with a relative intensity of 70% of 1RM, exercises using body weight, stretching and specific tasks for agility, performed in a circuit form and totaling three passages. Participants underwent functional autonomy (FA) assessment by the protocol of the Latin American Developmental Group for Maturity, the 6-minute walk test (T6M), and the sit-and-reach (SR) test.
Results:
The trained group had a significant decrease in body weight (p=0.02) and body mass index (p=0.015). Significant improvements (p=0,009) were also observed in FA, SR, and T6M after the intervention Compared with the untrained group, the trained group also obtained significant differences in all functional parameters analyzed.
Conclusion:
A long-term multicomponent training program conducted on a circuit and applied twice a week was enough to improve multiple components of the functional autonomy of elderly women. Level of Evidence II; Prognostic studies - Investigating the effect of a patient characteristic on the outcome of disease.
Keywords:
Aging; Resistance training; Aged; Physical exercise.
