Relative handgrip strength is inversely associated with the presence of type 2 diabetes in overweight elderly women with varying nutritional status.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: To describe cross-sectional associations of BMI-adjusted handgrip strength with the presence of diabetes and hypertension in a community setting. METHODS AND RESULTS: Between 2016 and 2018, 601 consecutive elderly active women (70.7 ± 6.9 years) were enrolled. Nutritional status was evaluated by the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) score. Muscle strength and level of fitness were assessed by standardized physical functional tests and handgrip strength (HGS). The majority of participants were overweight or obese (80% with BMI > 25). Prevalence of diabetes and hypertension was 13 and 60%, respectively. Participants in the lowest quartile of BMI-adjusted HGS (RHGS) had significantly higher prevalence of diabetes and hypertension compared with those in the top quartile (20.7 vs 5.3% and 49.3 vs 39.3%, respectively, p < 0.01 for both), without significant differences in nutritional status. Association with the presence of diabetes was significantly weaker in women with higher vs lower RHGS values (OR 0.77; 0.59-0.86 CI95%; p = 0.002), independent of age, abdominal adiposity, and presence of hypertension. RHGS was positively correlated with most of the physical functional tests performed. CONCLUSION: RHGS is an easy-to-obtain measure of muscular strength, independently associated with the presence of diabetes in overweight active elderly women. Prospective studies are required to assess its predictive value to identify adults at risk of developing diabetes.

Water versus land-based exercises as physical training programs in elderly.

BACKGROUND: The study aims to analyze and quantify the improvements of some physical skills in a group of subjects over 65 years old who practice regular activities in the gym and in a microgravity environment. METHODS: The study included 132 subjects (68.9±5.5 years, 72.7±14.4 kg, 155.3±9.2, 30.6±5 kg/m2) who perform regular physical activity adapted and controlled for the elderly twice a week (50' per session) for a period of 8 months. The tests evaluate flexibility, abdominal and leg strength and balance. The groups, in baseline, are homogeneous between them to anthropometric parameters and the initial performance of motor skills analyzed. A mixed between-within subject ANOVA was conducted to assess the impact of the training regimens. Data from this study showed an increase in muscular strength (leg and abdominal muscles), body balance and muscular flexibility after 8 months of both training methods. RESULTS: Both experimental groups had significant improvements in motor skills considered and interesting results were observed in water activity, overall, in balance (+66%, P<0.001) and abdominal muscular strength (+16%, P<0.001) where the water group showed a significant within and between improvement. CONCLUSIONS: Current results indicate that the water and land programs improved motor skills in the elderly. Furthermore, when the effectiveness of the training programs was compared, it was verified that the water group has recorded major changes, overall on abdominal strength and balance test statistically significant versus the land group.

Effects of long-term stimulation of textured insoles on postural control in health elderly.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to confirm the effects of long term (chronic) stimulating surface (textured insole) on body balance of elderly people. METHODS: Twenty-four healthy elderly individuals were randomly distributed in two groups: control and experimental (67.75±6.04 years, 74.55±12.14 kg, 163.7±8.55 cm, 27.75±3.04 kg/m2). Over one month, control group (CG) used smooth insoles and the experimental group (ExG) used textured insoles every day. Velocity net (Vnet), anteroposterior (VA/P), mediolateral (VM/L) and sway path of CoP were assessed in different eye conditions before and after the experimental procedure. RESULTS: A mixed between-within subject ANOVA was conducted to assess the impact of soft and textured insoles and two visual conditions (vision vs. no vision) across two time periods (α≤0.05). The results showed any statistical difference between groups in each parameter assessed in this study. CoP, Vnet and VM/L in the experimental group showed a statistically significant effect of textured insoles only without vision (CoP: P=0.002; η2=0.35), Vnet P=0.02; η2=0.24, VM/L P=0.04; η2=0.177) whereas VA/P showed no statistically significant effect in the same group and condition. There was no significant effect in Vnet, VA/P, VM/L and COP in control group that used smooth insole for both eye conditions. CONCLUSIONS: The results confirm that postural stability improved in healthy elderly individuals, increasing somatosensory information's from feet plantar mechanoreceptors. Long term stimulation with textured insoles decreased CoP, Vnet and VM/L with eyes closed.

Cardiovascular and hemodynamic responses to adapted physical exercises in very old adults.

BACKGROUND: Aging is characterized by a physiological reduction in physical activity, which is inversely correlated with survival. AIMS: Aim of the present study is to evaluate the cardiovascular, central hemodynamic and autonomic responses to a single bout of adapted physical exercise in octogenarian subjects. METHODS: We studied cardiovascular, hemodynamic and autonomic responses to adapted physical activity in 33 subjects by a noninvasive methodology (Nexfin®, Edwards Lifesciences Corporation). RESULTS: Our octogenarians presented a significant increase in mean arterial pressure (p < 0.01) and heart rate (p < 0.005) in response to exercise, while both are reduced during the early recovery phase. Central hemodynamic showed a significant increase in stroke volume (p < 0.05), cardiac output (p < 0.01) and left ventricle contractility index (p < 0.01), whereas systemic vascular resistance showed a significant decrease (p < 0.001). We found a reduction in baroreflex control of the sinus node during exercise. DISCUSSION: Our data demonstrate that in very old people adapted physical activity is able to activate cardiovascular system and to induce a postexercise hypotension similarly to adults. The baroreflex control of sinus node seems to contribute in the physiological mechanism of these cardiovascular adaptations. CONCLUSIONS: In very old people, physical activity induces cardiovascular and hemodynamic responses not significantly different from those induced in adult even though some cautions particularly in the early recovery phase after exercise should be exercised.

Effects of stimulating surface during static upright posture in the elderly.

This study aimed to investigate the influence of three stimulating surfaces based on center of pressure (CoP), anteroposterior sway velocity (V(A/P)), and medio-lateral sway velocity (V(M/L)) of 40 elderly subjects. CoP and V(M/L) showed a significant decrease in all visual conditions only in the stimulating surface whereas V(A/P) showed a significant decrease only on the same surface with eyes open. Results confirm the importance of multisensory stimulation in postural control in the elderly.