The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of regular exercise in the prevention system or the elderly in order to improve the quality of their life. The four electronic databases are ...researched for collecting articles (PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus and Web of Science). A search was conducted by title, taking a predefined combination of the following keywords into account: recreational exercise, Senior Fitness Test, older women. The search was undertaken in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. 136 studies were identified, of which 18 met the inclusion criteria. It has been determined that regular physical activity enables the improvement of the quality of life and positively affects the health of the examined groups, but older people represent a physically inactive part of the population.
Parkinson's disease (PD) is worth special attention among all the diseases and disorders of the nervous system, since its effects impact the capability of undertaking physical activity. The aim of ...the study was to analyze the use of the Senior Fitness Test (SFT) in determining the influence of physical rehabilitation on the level of physical fitness, and to assess the correlation between SFT and the Movement Disorder Society-sponsored revision of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) in patients with PD both participating and not participating in physical rehabilitation. The study was conducted in a group of 69 people (age 63.86 ± 5.43 y), with diagnosed idiopathic PD in 2nd stage in the Hoehn and Yahr scale (duration 6.52 ± 5.72 y). To determine the level of mobility of the subjects, the SFT and parts II, III, and IV of the MDS-UPDRS were used. Subjects were divided into participants (A) and non-participants (B) in physical rehabilitation. Correlation coefficients between the MDS-UPDRS and SFT were calculated after the 6-month study period. Participation in the process of physical rehabilitation significantly improved the physical fitness of the exercisers. A strong correlation was observed between the results obtained in the SFT and the assessment obtained on the basis of the MDS-UPDRS scale. It has been found that the SFT is a sensitive diagnostic tool in assessing the physical fitness of people with PD.
•Senior Fitness Test is a tool for measuring physical fitness of people with Parkinson's disease.•Senior Fitness Test is helpful in assessing functional independence of people with Parkinson's disease.•Physical activity improves the quality of life of people with Parkinson's disease.•Motor rehabilitation slows down the progression of Parkinson's motor symptoms.
The study aimed at comparing the effects of a neuromotor multicomponent training program (MCTP) on executive function, functional fitness, blood pressure, body composition and health-related quality ...of life (HRQOL), compared with a concurrent strength and endurance exercise training program (CONTROL-EXE) and a cognitive training program (CONTROL-COG).
56 older women (73 ± 6 years) completed the 30-weeks intervention. The three groups attended two 60-min sessions per week and they were assessed before and after the intervention.
MCTP showed a moderate improvement in Stroop C condition (28 ± 7 vs 32 ± 8 correct items; p = 0.001; d = 0.53) and Stroop interference score (−7.4 ± 7.3 vs −3.7 ± 6.1; p = 0.035; d = 0.55), while no changes were observed among control groups. MCTP showed a small to moderate improvement in Timed Up and Go test (TUGT) (5.85 ± 0.58 vs 5.46 ± 0.56 s; p < 0.001; d = 0.71) and Chair-Stand test (CST) (18 ± 4 vs 19 ± 4 repetitions; p < 0.001; d = 0.47); while CONTROL-EXE only improved moderately at TUGT (7.02 ± 1.1 vs 6.44 ± 0.91 s; p = 0.005; d = 0.59) and CONTROL-COG showed a moderate to small worsening in TUGT, CST and handgrip strength. Additionally, MCTP enhanced body composition and HRQOL. Lastly, both exercise groups showed lowered blood pressure values.
Our results suggest that a neuromotor MCTP could be considered as a highly suitable training to enhance executive function, functional fitness, HRQOL and body composition in older women.
•120 min/week of neuromotor multicomponent training are enough to improve executive function and functional fitness.•Neuromotor multicomponent programs could be considered as a highly suitable training to improve executive function.•Neuromotor multicomponent training proved superior to concurrent training regarding HRQoL and body composition improvement.•Aging, in absence of exercise training, may exert deleterious effects on functional fitness and HRQoL in only 30 weeks.
To find modifiable factors that are related to subjective well-being would be valuable for improving interventions in fibromyalgia. Physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and physical fitness may ...represent potential areas to optimize treatment regimens. In fibromyalgia, there is a discordance between clinical observations and patient-reported outcomes (objective and subjective assessments). Therefore, the present study aims at analyzing the associations of objective and subjective evaluations of physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and physical fitness with subjective well-being and determine if and how objective and subjective associations differ.
In this population-based cross-sectional study participated 375 women with fibromyalgia from the al-Ándalus project (Spain). Physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and physical fitness were objectively (accelerometers and performance testing) and subjectively (questionnaires) measured. Participants self-reported their levels of positive affect, negative affect, and life satisfaction.
In the most conservative multivariate analysis, we found independent associations of the objective measures of physical activity with positive affect and life satisfaction and sedentary behaviour with positive affect. No such relationship was seen with subjective measures of the same behaviours. Moreover, we observed that objective and subjective physical fitness evaluations were independent of each other related to subjective well-being.
Independent associations of the objective measures (but not the subjective assessments) of physical activity with positive affect and life satisfaction, and of sedentary behaviour with positive affect were observed. However, objective measures and subjective appraisals of physical fitness appear to be independently related to well-being, which should be considered when developing physical exercise interventions for fibromyalgia.
Implications for rehabilitation
The analysis of concurrent associations of objective and subjective evaluations of physical functioning with subjective well-being offers indications for modifiable targets in rehabilitation that can improve well-being in fibromyalgia.
Exercise-based rehabilitation may help women with fibromyalgia to improve subjective well-being, particularly positive affect.
Rehabilitation should focus on both the objective physical performance of women with fibromyalgia and on their perceptions of what they can do physically.
When rehabilitation aims at enhancing positive affect or life satisfaction by changing the lifestyle of women with fibromyalgia, physical activity and sedentary behaviour should be objectively monitored.
PURPOSE This study aimed to investigate the effects of accelerated rehabilitation exercise on physical fitness, lower extremity isometric strength, and blood variables in older adult women diagnosed ...with degenerative osteoarthritis. METHODS A total of 29 older adult women diagnosed with degenerative osteoarthritis residing in G city participated in the study, and 19 participants, excluding dropouts, took part in the experiment. They underwent exercise twice a week for 60 minutes per session over a period of 12 weeks. Pre- and post-experiment, the older adult fitness assessment (SFT), lower extremity isometric strength, and blood variables were measured. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 25.0, and paired sample t-tests were conducted to examine the effects before and after exercise. RESULTS The study results showed significant differences in body mass index (BMI) before and after exercise (p<0.05), and the older adult fitness assessment (SFT) showed significant differences in all items (p<0.01). Lower extremity isometric strength showed significant differences in absolute (Nm) and relative (%BW) values of 20° right flexion muscle (p<0.01). In terms of blood variables, significant differences were observed in creatine and ESR before and after exercise (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS This study’s results suggest that regular physical activity and rehabilitation exercise programs can positively impact the muscular strength, cardiovascular endurance, exercise function, and blood composition of older adult women diagnosed with degenerative osteoarthritis. It is indicated that conducting future research, including periodic exercise programs, could be beneficial in promoting sustained exercise participation.
This study was performed to establish the normative values and integrated score of the functional fitness on the basis of the senior fitness test (SFT) among Chinese community-dwelling older adults ...in Suzhou.
In this cross-sectional descriptive study, 1,122 community-dwelling older adults aged 60 years old and above were recruited at Suzhou, China, by using a multistage stratified sampling method and accepted the SFT measurements. Sex- and age-specific normative values of each index of the SFT were established by using the percentile method. The SFT integrated score was established using factor analysis according to the data of 70% of the participants (construction group) and verified using the error rate from the data of the remaining 30% of the participants (verification group).
Normative-referenced percentile values at the 5th, 10th, 25th, 35th, 50th, 65th, 75th, 90th, and 95th percentiles for each index of SFT were established for the men and women among the different age groups. Five indices of the SFT, namely, 2-min step test, 30-s arm curl, 30-s chair stand, chair sit-and-reach, and 8-ft up-and-go (TUGT), gradually declined with age in both sexes (
< .05). The SFT integrated score was calculated as follows: F = 3.8 × 2-min step test + 3.8 × 30-s arm curl + 3.8 × 30-s chair stand + 2.2 × back starch + 2.6 × chair sit-and-reach + 4 × TUGT - .04 × BMI. The formula was verified using the error rate. The error rates of the verification group compared with the construction group in each grade score of SFT were lower than 5%.
Based on the data from the community-dwelling older adults in Suzhou, China, the functional fitness normative values for each index of the SFT and the integrated score of SFT were established. The SFT integrated score formula was verified to be reasonable and effective.
This study investigates the effects of a 12-week brisk walking exercise regimen on motor function improvements in elderly women. Twenty-six elderly women, aged 84.2 ± 3.2 years, participated in a ...12-week brisk walking exercise program. Fitness assessments and blood biomarker analyses (including CHO, HDLC, LDLC, TC) were conducted pre- and post-intervention. Additionally, targeted metabolomics was employed to measure short-chain fatty acids, amino acids, and vitamin metabolites. The intervention led to significant enhancements in participants' flexibility (p < 0.05), lower limb muscle strength (p < 0.01), and cardiorespiratory endurance (p < 0.01), while muscle mass showed no significant changes. Fifteen significant differential metabolites were identified (VIP > 1.0, FC > 1.2 or < 0.8, and p < 0.05), with arginine, ornithine, aspartic acid, glutamine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, and pantothenic acid playing key roles across seven metabolic pathways. A 12-week brisk walking exercise program significantly enhanced flexibility, lower limb muscle strength, and cardiorespiratory endurance among elderly women. These improvements did not extend to muscle mass or upper limb muscle strength. The observed enhancement in exercise capacity may be attributed to improved regulation of neurotransmitters.
OBJECTIVES The aim of this study is to compare the results of an Augmented Reality (AR)-based Senior Fitness Test (SFT) with those evaluated by exercise experts, in order to confirm their ...agreement.Methods This study was conducted on 56 frail and pre-frail elderly women who could communicate and had consented to the purpose and objectives of this study. Consistency and reliability were evaluated via the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) and Cronbach α between the senior fitness test results obtained using the AR-based technology and the results measured by exercise specialist. Moreover, the Bland-Altman plot was used for comparison.Results The consistency between the results obtained using the AR-based SFT system and those measured by exercise specialist is as follows: Chair Stand Test (ICC=0.877, 95%C.I.=.792-.928, Cronbach α=0.939), Arm Curl Test (ICC=0.855, 95%C.I.=.758-.914, Cronbach α=0.927), Step in Place Test (ICC=0.788, 95%C.I.=.663-.870, Cronbach α=0.879), 2.44 m Timed up and go (ICC=0.822, 95%C.I.=.715-.892, Cronbach α=0.902), Chair Sit and Reach Test (ICC=0.938, 95%C.I.=.897-.963, Cronbach α=0.968), and Back Scratch Test (ICC=0.846, 95%C. I.=.750-.907, Cronbach α=0.919). These results indicate that both evaluation methods are highly consistent.Conclusions The AR-based SFT system developed in this study is a reliable, functional evaluation method that is not affected by the skill level of the fitness test administrators. The data obtained using this system can be utilized in the future to prescribe individualized exercises for frail elderly people.
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