Effects of twenty-eight months of detraining imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic on the functional fitness of older women experienced in concurrent and functional training

José Carlos Aragão-Santos; Alan Pantoja-Cardoso; Ana Carolina Dos-Santos; David George Behm; Tatiana Rodrigues de Moura; Marzo Edir Da Silva-Grigoletto

doi:10.1016/j.archger.2023.105005

Effects of twenty-eight months of detraining imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic on the functional fitness of older women experienced in concurrent and functional training

Arch Gerontol Geriatr. 2023 Aug:111:105005. doi: 10.1016/j.archger.2023.105005. Epub 2023 Mar 23.

Authors

José Carlos Aragão-Santos¹, Alan Pantoja-Cardoso², Ana Carolina Dos-Santos³, David George Behm⁴, Tatiana Rodrigues de Moura⁵, Marzo Edir Da Silva-Grigoletto⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Medicine, Health Sciences Graduate Program, Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão, 49160-000, Brazil; School of Human Kinetics and Recreation, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, A1C 5S7, Canada. Electronic address: prof.josecarlosraragao@gmail.com.
² Department of Physical Education, Physical Education Graduate Program, Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão, 49160-000, Brazil.
³ Department of Physiotherapy, Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão, 49160-000, Brazil.
⁴ School of Human Kinetics and Recreation, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, A1C 5S7, Canada.
⁵ Department of Medicine, Health Sciences Graduate Program, Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão, 49160-000, Brazil.
⁶ Department of Medicine, Health Sciences Graduate Program, Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão, 49160-000, Brazil; Department of Physical Education, Physical Education Graduate Program, Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão, 49160-000, Brazil.

Abstract

Purpose: To assess the impacts of 28 months of detraining imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic on the functional fitness of older women practicing functional or concurrent training.

Material and methods: A clinical trial was conducted with 16 weeks of intervention and 28 months of detraining imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Ninety-five participants were allocated to functional training (FT - 32), concurrent training (CT - 31), or the control group (CG - 32). All the dependent variables were measured pre-training, post-training, and after the detraining period. The functional fitness was assessed by the put on and take off a t-shirt (PTS - upper limbs), timed up and go (TUG - dynamic balance), five times sit-to-stand (FTSST - lower-limb muscle power), gallon-jug shelf-transfer (GJST - global function), and 10 m walk (W10 m - walking ability) tests.

Results: Sixty-three women remained after the detraining period, twenty-four in the FT (66.0 ± 3.8 years), twenty in the CT (65.0 ± 4.3 years), and nineteen in the CG (69.6 ± 5.9 years). Comparing the detraining vs. the pre-intervention, the FT and CT showed a smaller reduction than CG for the PTS (β_FT = -2.296; β_CT = -1.914), timed up and go (β_FT = -0.705; β_CT = -0.600), five times sit-to-stand (β_FT = -1.970; β_CT = -2.970), gallon-jug shelf-transfer (β_FT = -1.512; β_CT = -1.003), without differences in the 10 m walk. Also, the concurrent training showed a smaller reduction than the functional training in the FTSST (β = 1.000).

Conclusion: Even after a long detraining period imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, FT and CT practices were effective strategies for maintaining the functional fitness of older women.

Keywords: Aging; Exercise; Health; Personal autonomy; SARS-CoV-2.

Publication types

Clinical Trial
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Aged
COVID-19*
Exercise
Female
Humans
Muscle Strength
Pandemics
Physical Fitness*
Walking