Acute Effects of Different Rest Intervals Between Sets of Resistance Exercise on Neuromuscular Fatigue in Trained Older Women.

Jambassi Filho, JC, Gurjão, ALD, Prado, AKG, Gallo, LH, and Gobbi, S. Acute effects of different rest intervals between sets of resistance exercise on neuromuscular fatigue in trained older women. J Strength Cond Res 34(8): 2235-2240, 2020-The aim of this study was to investigate the acute effect of different rest intervals (RIs) between sets on total volume, time under tension, maximal voluntary contraction (MVC), and integrated electromyography (iEMG) activity of the vastus lateralis (VL) and vastus medialis (VM) muscles. Twenty-one resistance-trained older women (66.4 ± 4.4 years; 69.1 ± 11.4 kg; 157.5 ± 5.0 cm) completed 3 different test sessions, performed 48-72 hours apart, in a randomized and counterbalanced within-subjects design. In 2 test sessions, the participants performed 3 sets to voluntary exhaustion with loads that corresponded to 15 maximum repetitions, with either 1-minute RI (RI-1) or 3-minute RI (RI-3). In another test session, the participants remained at rest for 15 minutes. The total volume of exercise and time under tension for the RI-3 session was statistically higher (p ≤ 0.05) than the RI-1 session. Postexercise MVC for the RI-3 session showed significantly greater reductions (-7.8%; p ≤ 0.05) compared with the RI-1 and control sessions. No significant changes in postexercise iEMG activity of the VL and VM were shown for any of the sessions (all p > 0.05). The findings of this study suggest that different RIs between sets lead to different acute neuromuscular responses. The longer RI seemed to induce higher neuromuscular fatigue, likely due to higher total volume and time under tension. Thus, longer RI may be a strategy that possibly would lead to greater long-term gains in muscle strength and hypertrophy of the lower limbs in trained older women.

Health related quality of life is differently associated with leisure-time physical activity intensities according to gender: a cross-sectional approach.

BACKGROUND: Several studies have demonstrated a positive association between physical activity (PA) and health-related quality of life (HRQL). However, studies have suggested that this association depends both on the PA intensity and the domain of HRQL evaluated. This study aimed to explore the association between physical, mental and overall HRQL with recommended levels of PA. PA levels were divided into moderate and vigorous intensity leisure-time PA and total leisure-time PA. METHODS: The study included 1001 adults, 582 women (46 ± 17 years) and 419 men (43 ± 16 years), residents in Rio Claro-SP, Brazil. All participants completed the SF-36 questionnaire to assess HRQL and the long version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) to assess level and intensities of leisure-time PA. Total leisure-time PA at moderate intensity was classified as: less than 9 min/week, 10-149 min/week, 150-299 min/week and 300 min/week or more. Total leisure-time PA at vigorous intensity was classified as: less than 9 min/week, 10 to 74.9 min/week, 75-149 min/week and 150 min/week or more. Multiple linear regression was performed in STATA version 12.0. RESULTS: Among women, moderate intensity and total leisure-time PA were associated with physical health. Among men, moderate and vigorous intensity and total leisure-time PA were associated with physical health and overall HRQL. Furthermore, moderate intensity and total leisure-time PA were associated with mental health in men. However, vigorous intensity PA was not associated with mental health for this group. CONCLUSION: The different domains of HRQL were associated with different levels and intensities of PA in leisure-time according to gender of adults. These findings indicate the complexity and importance of evaluating the HRQL stratified by gender and consider the different levels and intensities of PA.

The acute effects of static stretching on peak force, peak rate of force development and muscle activity during single- and multiple-joint actions in older women.

The present study investigated the acute effects of static stretching on peak force, peak rate of force development and integrated electromyography (iEMG) in 27 older women (65 ± 4 years; 69 ± 9 kg; 157 ± 1 cm; 28 ± 4 kg · m(-2)). The participants were tested during two exercises (leg press and knee extension) after two conditions: stretching and control. The data were collected on four days (counterbalanced with a 24-hour rest period). In the stretching condition, the quadriceps muscle was stretched (knee flexion) for three sets of 30 s with 30 s rest intervals. No significant difference was detected for peak force and peak rate of force development during the single- and multiple-joint exercises, regardless of the following interactions: condition (stretching and control) vs. time (pre x post x 10 x 20 x 30 minutes post; P > 0.05) and exercise vs. time (P > 0.05). Additionally, no significant interaction was found for the iEMG activity (condition vs. time; P > 0.05) in the single- and multiple-joint exercises. In conclusion, a small amount of stretching of an agonist muscle (quadriceps) did not affect the peak force, peak rate of force development and EMG activity in older women during single- and multiple-joint exercises.

Effects of square-stepping exercise on cognitive functions of older people.

AIM: Cognitive functions can decline with age, and interventions focusing on stimulating them may have positive results. Previous studies have shown that square-stepping exercise (SSE) has a good influence on balance, but this exercise also seems to promote cognitive stimulation. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to analyse the effect of 16 weeks of SSE on cognitive functions in non-demented community-dwelling older people. METHODS: This was a longitudinal, non-randomized study. Forty-one older adults (60 years and older) were recruited, and 21 participated in the SSE group (practised only SSE sequences) and 20 were in the control group (continued with their activities of daily living). Both groups were evaluated using the Mini-Mental State Examination, the Digit Span test, the Toulouse-Pierón Attention Test and the Modified Card Sorting Test. RESULTS: The SSE group showed a significant improvement in global cognitive status, concentrated attention and mental flexibility after 16 weeks of the SSE intervention. CONCLUSION: Evidence shows that SSE is a physical activity that positively influences cognitive functions in non-demented older people.

Effect of different rest intervals, between sets, on muscle performance during leg press exercise, in trained older women.

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of different rest intervals (RI) between sets on number of repetitions, sustainability of repetitions, and total volume during a leg press exercise. Seventeen resistance-trained older women (68.0 ± 5.9 years, 71. 2 ± 11.7 kg, 1.58 ± 0.07 m) participated in the study. All participants performed three sets to voluntary exhaustion, with loads that corresponded to 15 maximum repetitions, in two experimental sessions (that ranged from 48 to 72 hours apart). In each session, one of two RI (one-minute: RI-1 and three minute: RI-3) was tested, employing a randomized and counterbalanced design. For both RI, significant reductions (p < 0.05) were observed in the number of repetitions and sustainability of repetitions, from the first to the second and third sets. Differences (p < 0.05) between the RI also were observed in the two final sets. The total volume for the RI-3 session was statistically higher (29.4%, p < 0.05) as compared to the RI-1 session. The length of the RI between sets influenced the number of repetitions, sustainability of repetitions, and total volume. The longer RI should be used, therefore, when the goal of training is to increase the total volume. Key pointsThis study examined the influence of rest intervals, between sets, on muscle performance during leg press exercise, in trained older women.When multiple sets were performed to voluntary exhaustion, neither short and long rest interval (1 and 3 minutes, respectively) promoted the sustainability of repetitions in subsequent sets.A longer rest interval seems to be necessary for a higher number of repetitions in subsequent sets, and with increase in time of tension and total volume.

Functional dependence and caregiver burden in Alzheimer's disease: a controlled trial on the benefits of motor intervention.

BACKGROUND: Cognitive decline has a negative impact on functional activities in Alzheimer's disease. Investigating the effects of motor intervention with the intent to reduce the decline in functionality is an expected target for patients and caregivers. The aim of this study was to verify if a 6-month motor intervention programme promoted functionality in Alzheimer's patients and attenuated caregivers' burden. METHODS: The sample comprised 32 community patients with Alzheimer's disease and their 32 respective caregivers. Patients were divided into two groups: 16 participated in the motor intervention programme and 16 controls. Subjects performed 60 minutes of exercises, three times per week during the 6-month period, to improve flexibility, strength, agility and balance. Caregivers followed the procedures with their patients during this period. Functionality was evaluated by the Berg Functional Balance Scale and the Functional Independence Measure. Caregivers completed the Neuropsychiatric Inventory Caregiver Distress Scale and the Zarit Carer Burden Scale. Two-way ANOVA was used to verify the interaction between time (pre- and post-intervention) and the motor intervention program. RESULTS: While patients in the motor programme preserved their functionality, as assessed by the Functional Independence Measure, the controls suffered a relative decline (motor intervention group: from 109.6 to 108.4 vs controls: from 99.5 to 71.6; P= 0.01). Patients from motor intervention also had better scores than the controls on functional balance assessed by Berg scale (F: 22.2; P= 0.001). As assessed by the Neuropsychiatric Inventory and Zarit scale, burden was reduced among caregivers whose patients participated in the motor intervention programme compared with caregivers whose patients did not participate in this programme (Neuropsychiatric Inventory, caregiver's part: F: 9.37; P= 0.01; Zarit: F: 11.28; P= 0.01). CONCLUSION: Patients from the motor intervention group showed reduced functional decline compared to the controls, and there was an associated decrease in caregivers' burden.

Serum homocysteine and physical exercise in patients with Parkinson's disease.

BACKGROUND: Hyperhomocysteinemia is a major risk factor for cerebral and peripheral vascular diseases, as well as cortical and hippocampal injury, including an increased risk of dementia and cognitive impairment. Elevated serum homocysteine (Hcy) concentrations are common in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) who have been treated with levodopa; however, physical exercises can help reduce Hcy concentrations. The aim of the present study was to compare serum Hcy levels in patients with PD who partook in regular physical exercises, sedentary PD patients, and healthy controls. METHODS: Sixty individuals were enrolled in the present study across three groups: (i) 17 patients who did not partake of any type of exercise; (ii) 24 PD patients who exercised regularly; and (iii) 19 healthy individuals who did not exercise regularly. All participants were evaluated by Hoehn and Yahr scale, the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) and Schwab and England scale (measure daily functionality). The serum levels of Hcy were analyzed by blood samples collected of each participant. An analysis of variance and a Tukey's post hoc test were applied to compare and to verify differences between groups. Pearson's correlation and stepwise multiple regression analyses were used to consider the association between several variables. RESULTS: Mean plasma Hcy concentrations in individuals who exercised regularly were similar to those in the healthy controls and significantly lower than those in the group that did not exercise at all (P= 0.000). In addition, patients who did not exercise were receiving significantly higher doses of levodopa than those patients who exercised regularly (P= 0.001). A positive relationship between levodopa dose and Hcy concentrations (R(2) = 0.27; P= 0.03) was observed in patients who did not exercise, but not in those patients who exercised regularly (R(2) = 0.023; P= 0.15). CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study suggest that, even with regular levodopa therapy, Hcy concentrations in PD patients who exercise regularly are significantly lower than in patients who do not exercise and are similar Hcy concentrations in healthy controls.

Sedentary Behavior Is Associated With Low Leisure-Time Physical Activity and High Body Fatness in Older Brazilian Adults.

Sedentary behavior (SB) has emerged as a new health risk factor, including risk of premature death. This study examined the association between SB and measures of physical activity and body fatness in older Brazilian adults. Self-report measures of SB (ie, sitting time [ST]), leisure-time physical activity (LTPA), and body fatness (body mass index [BMI]) were collected from 355 older adults aged 60 years and older by trained interviewers. Statistical procedures were conducted using SPSS software with significance set at P < .05. Overall, the median ST was 3 hours per day. Mean values of LTPA and BMI for the entire sample were 90.0 (197.4) min/week and 26.5 (4.9) kg/m2, respectively. Partial correlations controlling for age revealed that ST was negatively associated with LTPA (pr = -.15 [-.25; -.04]; P = .006) and positively associated with BMI (pr = .25 [.14; .35]; P < .001). Age, BMI, and LTPA emerged as independent predictors of ST, explaining a small but significant variance in ST (R 2 = .12; P = .02). Furthermore, t test revealed a significant difference in LTPA and BMI between groups of different amounts of sitting. The findings suggest that prolonged ST may have a negative impact on LTPA and BMI in older Brazilian adults.

Effects of postural threat on walking features of Parkinson's disease patients.

This study investigated whether or not gait kinematics among healthy older individuals and Parkinson's disease (PD) patients are influenced by postural threat. Eight healthy older individuals and eight PD patients were examined while walking at self-selected velocities, under three conditions of postural threat: unconstrained floor; constrained floor (19cm wide); constrained and elevated floor (19cm wide by 10cm high). Independent of the surface conditions, due to motor disturbances caused by the PD these patients walked slower, with shorter strides, and spent more time in the double support phase and less time in the swing phase than did their matched controls. Increases in postural threat resulted in altered gait kinematics for all subjects. Specifically, stride length, stride velocity, cadence, and heel contact velocity decreased, and stride duration and double support duration increased relative to increases in postural threat. All gait alterations were the result of participants' attempts to facilitate locomotion control and maintain stability. The results of this study reveal that width and height constraints effectively perturbed the balance of all of the walking older individuals. The PD patients were able to modulate gait parameters when faced by a postural threat task.

Benefits of physical exercise on executive functions in older people with Parkinson's disease.

The benefits of physical exercise on cognitive functioning have been reported in the literature, but the potential benefits to slow the eventual decline in executive functioning (EF) caused by neurodegeneration from Parkinson's Disease (PD) have rarely been studied. Thus the objective of this study was to analyze the effects of a multimodal physical exercise program on EF in older people with Parkinson's disease. The EF of the older people was evaluated by neuropsychological testing, and for confounding variables such as attention, depressive symptoms and anxiety, before and after intervention. The 20 participants were assigned into Control (CG) and Trained (TG) Groups. The TG participated in generalized physical training for 6 months. The ANOVA showed a significant interaction (p<.05) that indicated a beneficial contribution of training on EF. No significant interactions were found in the results for confounding variables between groups and pre- and post-intervention, which supports the beneficial findings of physical exercise training on EF.

Acute effect of static stretching on rate of force development and maximal voluntary contraction in older women.

The purpose of this study was to investigate, in older women, the acute effect of static stretching (SS) on both muscle activation and force output. Twenty-three older women (64.6 +/- 7.1 yr) participated in the study. The maximal voluntary contraction (MVC), rate of force development (RFD) (50, 100, 150, and 200 ms relative to onset of muscular contraction), and peak RFD (PRFD) (the steepest slope of the curve during the first 200 ms) were tested under 2 randomly separate conditions: SS and control (C). Electromyographic (EMG) activity of the vastus medialis (VM), vastus lateralis (VL), and biceps femoris (BF) muscles also was assessed. The MVC was significantly lower (p < 0.05) in the 3 trials of SS when compared with the C condition (control: 925.0 +/- 50.9 N; trial 1: 854.3 +/- 55.3 N; trial 2: 863.1 +/- 52.2 N; and trial 3: 877.5 +/- 49.9 N). PRFD showed a significant decrease only for the first 2 trials of SS when compared with the C condition (control: 2672.3 +/- 259.1 N/s; trial 1: 2296.6 +/- 300.7 N/s; and trial 2: 2197.9 +/- 246.3 N/s). However, no difference was found for RFD (50, 100, 150, and 200 ms relative to onset of muscular contraction). The EMG activity for VM, VL, and BF was not significantly different between the C and SS conditions. In conclusion, the older women's capacity to produce muscular force decreased after their performance of SS exercises. The mechanisms responsible for this effect do not appear to be related to muscle activation. Thus, if flexibility is to be trained, it is recommended that SS does not occur just before the performance of activities that require high levels of muscular force.

[Systematized physical activity and cognitive performance in elderly with Alzheimer's dementia: a systematic review]. / Atividade física sistematizada e desempenho cognitivo em idosos com demência de Alzheimer: uma revisão sistemática.

OBJECTIVE: Despite the growing evidence of the benefits of physical exercise for cognition, there is a controversy about the systematic practice of physical activity in patients with Alzheimer's disease. Therefore, the objective of this study was to procedure a systematic review of studies that analyzed the effect of systematized physical activity on cognitive performance in elderly individuals with Alzheimer's disease. METHOD: We conducted a search in PsycINFO, Biological Abstracts, Medline, Web of Science, Physical Education and SPORTDiscus Index from 1990 to 2008, using the following keywords: 'physical activity', 'physical therapy', 'exercise', 'fitness', 'aerobic', 'strength', 'intervention', 'cognition', 'cognitive performance', 'Alzheimer's disease', 'Alzheimer's dementia', 'Alzheimer's', and cross-references of selected articles. RESULTS: There were found eight studies that met inclusion criteria adopted for the present work. These studies showed that systematized physical activity contributed to at least improve temporarily some cognitive functions of patients with Alzheimer's disease, particularly, attention, executive functions and language. CONCLUSION: Unable to establish a protocol of recommendations about the type and intensity of systematized physical activity required to produce benefits in cognitive functioning. However, the practice of regular systematized physical activity appears to contribute to the preservation or improvement of cognitive functions in patients with Alzheimer's disease.

Acute effect of different exercise intensities and differences related to age on muscle performance in young and older women.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to compare the acute effect of different exercise intensities on the number of repetitions and total volume and differences related to age on the fatigue index. METHODS: Twelve young women (19.0±1.6 years) and ten older women (66.6±5.8 years) performed two experimental sessions for the elbow flexor muscles in a balanced cross-over design. In one experimental session, the participants performed three sets to concentric muscle failure at 100% of 10-12 maximum repetitions (RM). In the other experimental session, the participants performed two sets of 12 repetitions and one final set until concentric muscle failure at 90% of 10-12 RM. A 90-second rest interval was adopted between sets. RESULTS: The session performed at 90% of 10-12 RM showed a higher number of repetitions in the second and third sets and a greater total volume, compared to the session at 100% of 10-12 RM for both young and older women (all P<0.05). However, significant no differences were observed in the fatigue index between the young and older women for the sessions performed at 90% or 100% of 10-12 RM (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that a 10% load reduction promotes a greater number of repetitions and higher total volume in young and older adults. Moreover, the results indicate that young and older women present the same Fatigue Index for the elbow flexor muscles.

Quality of life (QoL) in relation to disease severity in Brazilian Parkinson's patients as measured using the WHOQOL-BREF.

This study aimed at evaluating and describing the QoL and its association with the severity of disease among Brazilian Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. In this cross-sectional study 68 PD patients were interviewed using the World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument Short Form (WHOQOL-BREF) and the Hoehn-Yahr (HY) scale. Analysis of variance, chi(2), Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U-tests, Spearman and Cronbach reliability coefficients were used to analyze the data. The results indicate: (1) physical capacity was the domain that showed the most deterioration; (2) severity of PD is associated with QoL measured by WHOQOL-BREF; (3) overall QoL, working capacity, activities of daily living (ADL) and self-esteem are affected in both transitional periods in the progression of PD (mild to moderate and moderate to advanced). Satisfaction with general health, pain, energy, positive feelings, personal relationship and satisfaction with home are affected in the first period of transition while mobility, body image, sexual activity and access to information are affected in the second. This study mainly shows specific facets that are affected depending on the specific periods of PD progression, which can help to understand the impact of the disease, the effectiveness of care, and the demand for health care resources.

Early impairment of cognitive functions in Parkinson's disease.

BACKGROUND: Impairment in non-motor functions such as disturbances of some executive functions are also common events in Parkinson's disease patients. OBJECTIVE: To verify the performance of Parkinson's disease patients in activities requiring visuoconstructive and visuospatial skills. METHOD: Thirty elderly patients with mild or moderate stages of Parkinson's disease were studied. The assessment of the clinical condition was based on the unified Parkinson's disease rating scale (56.28; SD=33.48), Hoehn and Yahr (2.2; SD=0.83), Schwab and England (78.93%), clock drawing test (7.36; SD=2.51), and mini-mental state examination (26.48; SD=10.11). Pearson's correlation and stepwise multiple regression were used for statistical analyses. RESULTS: The patients presented deterioration in visuospatial and visuoconstructive skills. CONCLUSION: The clock drawing test proved to be a useful predictive tool for identifying early cognitive impairment in these individuals.

Activity behavior, nutritional status and perceived health in older Brazilian adults: Does the number of chronic diseases matter?

AIM: The present study examined activity behavior, nutritional status and perceived health in relation to the number of chronic diseases (ChrD) in a representative sample of Brazilians aged ≥60 years. METHODS: A cross-sectional, population-based study was carried out in a midsize Brazilian city to evaluate different health risk factors. Using a stratified random sampling procedure to select a representative sample of adults, this study interviewed 1572 individuals face-to-face. Our analytical sample focused on those aged ≥60 years (n = 355). Statistical procedures were carried out using spss software, with the significance level set as P < 0.05. RESULTS: Older adults diagnosed with ≥2 ChrD were significantly less active during leisure time physical activity (P = 0.03), presented with significant higher body mass index values (P < 0.001) and were approximately fivefold (1.69-17.93) more likely to perceive their health as poor compared with those with zero ChrD. The group with ≥2 ChrD reported a similar amount of sitting time compared with older adults with zero or one ChrD (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Having multiple ChrD has a negative impact on older adults' leisure time physical activity, body mass index and the perception of health. The findings of the present study underscore the need for more infusive approaches tackling ChrD in Brazil focusing on healthy lifestyle behaviors, such as physical activity. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 2376-2382.

Functional training reduces body fat and improves functional fitness and cholesterol levels in postmenopausal women: a randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: This randomized clinical trial with concealed allocations, and blinding of the assessors and the data analyst, was aimed at determining the effects of 16 weeks of functional training on the body composition, functional fitness and lipid profiles in postmenopausal women. METHODS: The study began with 64 subjects (N.=32 functional training and N.=32 control group) and ended with 50 subjects (N.=28 functional training and N.=22 control group). The exercise was conducted in circuit training format with 8 stations related to the development of muscular strength (using elastic bands for resistance) plus 3 stations focused on balance, coordination, and agility. The training session also incorporated an 18 to 30 minute walk. The control group did not participate in the exercise programs during the period of study. The participants were evaluated before and after the training period as regards their body composition (fat and lean mass), functional fitness, abdominal strength and blood chemistry variables. RESULTS: Significant reductions were observed in all body composition variables related to fat (FM= -3.4 and Android FM= -7.7%) (P<0.05). The functional fitness components had significant improvements in coordination (-33.3%), strength (66.5%), agility (-19.5%) and aerobic capacity (-7%), and significant improvement in abdominal strength (188.2%). We observed significant improvements in total cholesterol (-4.4%) and HDL (-9.9%). CONCLUSIONS: The observed data lead us to conclude that functional training utilizing with elastic bands and unstable bases causes significantly improved in body composition, functional fitness and lipid profiles.

Chronic Effects of Different Rest Intervals Between Sets on Dynamic and Isometric Muscle Strength and Muscle Activity in Trained Older Women.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the chronic effects of different rest intervals (RIs) between sets on dynamic and isometric muscle strength and muscle activity. DESIGN: We used a repeated-measures design (pretraining and posttraining) with independent groups (different RI). Twenty-one resistance-trained older women (66.4 ± 4.4 years) were randomly assigned to either a 1-minute RI group (G-1 min; n = 10) or 3-minute RI group (G-3 min; n = 11). Both groups completed 3 supervised sessions per week during 8 weeks. In each session, participants performed 3 sets of 15 repetitions of leg press exercise, with a load that elicited muscle failure in the third set. Fifteen maximum repetitions, maximal voluntary contraction, peak rate of force development, and integrated electromyography activity of the vastus lateralis and vastus medialis muscles were assessed pretraining and posttraining. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in load of 15 maximum repetitions posttraining for G-3 min only (3.6%; P < 0.05). However, posttraining results showed no significant differences between G-1 min and G-3 min groups for all dependent variables (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that different RIs between sets did not influence dynamic and isometric muscle strength and muscle activity in resistance-trained older women.

Balance Exercises Circuit improves muscle strength, balance, and functional performance in older women.

This study introduces the Balance Exercises Circuit (BEC) and examines its effects on muscle strength and power, balance, and functional performance in older women. Thirty-five women aged 60+ (mean age = 69.31, SD = 7.35) were assigned to either a balance exercises group (BG, n = 14) that underwent 50-min sessions twice weekly, of a 12-week BEC program, or a wait-list control group (CG, n = 21). Outcome measures were knee extensor peak torque (PT), rate of force development (RFD), balance, Timed Up & Go (TUG), 30-s chair stand, and 6-min walk tests, assessed at baseline and 12 weeks. Twenty-three participants completed follow-up assessments. Mixed analysis of variance models examined differences in outcomes. The BG displayed improvements in all measures at follow-up and significantly improved compared with CG on, isokinetic PT60, PT180 (p = 0.02), RFD (p < 0.05), balance with eyes closed (p values range .02 to <.01) and TUG (p = 0.03), all with medium effect sizes. No changes in outcome measures were observed in the CG. BEC improved strength, power, balance, and functionality in older women. The BEC warrants further investigation as a fall prevention intervention.

Osteoarticular diseases and physical performance of Brazilians over 80 years old.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the physical performance of Brazilian individuals older than 80 years with and without OD. METHODS: The sample consisted of 135 individuals (aged > 80 years) of both gender. Identification of osteopenia/osteoporosis was verified by Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry, and the presence of others osteoarticular diseases (OD) was obtained using a questionnaire of morbidities. Physical performance was analyzed by motor tests. RESULTS: Men presented higher proportion of osteopenia/osteoporosis compared to women (p = 0.013). The proportion of older people with arthritis/osteoarthritis for women and men was 33% and 26%, respectively, and with OD in the spine was 19% and 12%, respectively. No significant difference for physical performance, measured by each test and overall score, was observed between groups of OD. According to gender, male with OD presented lower performance in gait speed, balance and overall score (p < 0.05), while older people with osteopenia/osteoporosis are at higher risk for low physical performance (OR 2.73; CI 95% 1.31-5.66). CONCLUSION: In conclusion it was verified in older people with age of 80 years or more, a high prevalence of OD, especially in men, and the presence of these diseases interfered negatively their physical performance.