Power Training Versus Strength Training in the Elderly

University of Sao Paulo

Status: Completed

Conditions: Healthy

Treatments: Other: Power Training; Other: Strength Training

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02852668

PowerElderly

Details and patient eligibility

About

The inexorable decline in motor skills during aging provides the investigators with an elderly population with various functional limitations. Among these, the ability to walk, being associated with the risk of falling has been studied by several authors. The adoption of strength and power training as an intervention strategy to reduce the negative effects arising from the physiological or pathological process of aging has been widely discussed in these studies. However, the effects of these interventions on biomechanical gait indicators have not been fully debated yet. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the effects of these two training protocols on functional capacities and biomechanical gait parameters of elderly women.

Full description

Three female groups, homogenized by age, body mass index and physical activity level, were formed: the control group (GC: n=8, 69±4 years old), the strength training group (GF: n=6, 67±4 years old) and the power training group (GP, n=7, 68±4 years old). No extra activity was induced to GC's routine. Meanwhile, GF and GP underwent 12 weeks of strength and power training, respectively, with three weekly sessions. While GF performed the exercises with moderate speed (70-90% of 1RM), the GP executed them in fast speed (40-60% of 1RM). A kinematic and electromyographic gait evaluation, as well as balance and functional capacity evaluations, were conducted prior and after the intervention period.

Enrollment: 30 patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 65 to 75 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• sedentary women with no physical mobility limitations

Exclusion criteria

• attending less than 75% of the intervention sessions and not attending the final evaluation

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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30 participants in 3 patient groups

Power Training Group

Experimental group

Description:

Physical exercises. Strength training performed quickly

Treatment:

Other: Power Training

Strength Training Group

Experimental group

Description:

Physical exercises. Strength training performed in moderate speed

Treatment:

Other: Strength Training

Control Group

No Intervention group

Description:

This group maintained the same physical activity level during the intervention period.