A specific training protocol for the elderly

Abstract

It is widely known that in elderly people a regular physical activity of mild intensity shows significant benefits in term of health, while a sedentary lifestyle contributes, together with other factors of risks, to develop some chronic degenerative diseases, particularly cardiovascular metabolic and osteo-articular diseases. Therefore, the aim of this study is useful to assess influence of controlled training, based on conditional and coordinative motor abilities, in elderly people. The group of this study is made up of twenty members (experimental and control groups) aged from 65 to 75. The experimental groups have trained for nine months (2 times for week with 45-60' for each training session) and no training for control group. Before and after nine months of training, each participant has been assessed with the tests presented in the article. There were no significant differences for the control group in the pre and post comparison except for the Chair-Stand test characterized by a worsening of the results. On the contrary, there were statistically significant differences between the pre and post-test evaluations of the experimental group, in which improvements have been shown in the test. This investigation showed the training benefit on long period in elderly without any compromising.