Chair-based exercise programs in institutionalized older women: Salivary steroid hormones, disabilities and frailty changes

• Published in: Experimental gerontology Vol. 130; p. 110790
• Main Authors: Furtado, Guilherme Eustáquio, Carvalho, Humberto Moreira, Loureiro, Marisa, Patrício, Miguel, Uba-Chupel, Matheus, Colado, Juan C., Hogervorst, Eef, Ferreira, José Pedro, Teixeira, Ana Maria
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Inc 01.02.2020
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Dehydroepiandrosterone - metabolism; Disabled Persons - rehabilitation; Exercise - physiology; Exercise Therapy - methods; Female; Frail Elderly; Frail-older adults; Frailty - therapy; Functional disability; Humans; Multimodal; Muscle Strength - physiology; Muscle-strength; Physical exercise; Resistance Training; Saliva - metabolism; Salivary steroids hormones; Testosterone - metabolism; Physical exercise; Muscle-strength; Frail-older adults; Salivary steroids hormones; Multimodal; Functional disability
• ISSN: 0531-5565; 1873-6815
• DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2019.110790

Many people experience aging-related losses in different physical domains, which leads to a condition often called physical frailty (PF). The aim of this study was to analyse the effects of two different, 28-weeks, class chair-exercise protocols on salivary steroid hormones (SH), PF, and functional disabilities (FD) in frail older women. A sample of older frail individuals (n = 60, 817.84 years) participated in the study and were divided into three groups: chair elastic-band muscle strength exercises (CSE), n = 20), chair-multimodal exercise (CME, n = 21) and a control non-exercise group (CGne, n = 19). Both exercise programs consisted of 45 min of supervised chair-based exercise group classes, carried out 3 times/week. CME participants performed a progressive training using walking, mobility and body weight resistance exercises. The CSE participants exercised using an elastic-band system of progressive exercises. Both CSE and CME followed a circuit training protocol. The controls did not change their usual lifestyle. The indicators of PF, FD and SH concentrations were analyzed before and after the intervention. Both exercise programs diminished the PF status showing significant time and time versus treatment interactions (p < .01). An increase in the CME group, between baseline and 14-weeks, and in the CSE group, after 28 weeks, for Testosterone concentrations was observed (p < .01). Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) increased after 28-weeks in the CME group and decreased in the CGne after the same period (p < .05). Both exercise programs decreased the negative scores of several FD domains, specially fear of falling that showed significant effects with time (p < .01), and time vs intervention (p < .05). Both chair-exercise based programs were effective in stimulating positive changes in physical health and in steroid hormone responses, especially in DHEA. The control group did show a negative trend towards an increased PF status and decreased levels of SH. It is crucial for public health to identify the main factors associated with Functional Disability and Physical Frailty that underlie the development of new methods for complementary therapies, such as the use of low doses of hormonal supplementation combined with long-term exercise interventions. •Multimodal and muscle strength chair-exercises programs were effective in increasing salivary DHEA and Testosterone;•Both exercise programs were able to improve physical functioning and attenuate the physical frailty status.•Social health care centers should integrate Chair based exercise programs since they present well-established safety, adherence and effectiveness for this population.