Effects of long-term calisthenics on physical fitness and quality of life in older women

• Published in: Türk Fizyoterapi ve Rehabilitasyon Dergisi/Turkish Journal of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Vol. 25; no. 2
• Main Authors: PINAR, Lamia, KARA, Bilge, KOZAN, Ömer
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ankara Turkish Physiotherapy Association 05.09.2014
• Subjects: Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Physiotherapy; Research Article; kalistenikler; physical fitness; fiziksel uygunluk; Aging; calisthenics; quality of life; yaşam kalitesi; Yaşlanma
• ISSN: 2148-0109
• DOI: 10.7603/s40680-014-0007-8

Purpose: Investigate the effects of long-term regular aerobic exercise to physical fitness and quality of life in older women. Methods: The volunteer subjects were selected between a hundred older people who were the members of a solidarity center. Fulfilling the international criteria for ‘exercising standards for the aged’, forty-five female volunteers with a mean age of 68.04±5.56 years (range, 60-80 years) participated to the study. After the cardiovascular and general health care evaluation, the older women were evaluated for exercise indication. An aerobic program of submaximal-level calisthenics was designed and the older women gathered at three times a week for exercising, 40-50 min a day for 4 months under a physiotherapist’s supervision. Before and after the 4-month exercise program, subjects underwent tests including a set of physical fitness and a quality of life assessment (short form-36). Results: Four month submaximal-level aerobic calisthenics led to a significant improvement (p<0.05) in body composition (fat weight, waist-to-hip ratio); cardiopulmonary fitness (VO 2 max); musculoskeletal fitness (vertical jumping, dynamometer test and flexibility); and motor fitness (equilibrium). Life quality of subjects improved significantly (p<0.05). Discussion: Four month regular calisthenics enhanced physical fitness and parameters of quality of life such as physical functioning, bodily pain, general health perceptions, vitality, social functioning, role limitation of emotional, role limitation of physical, mental health in elderly women.