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Physical Activity in the Elderly—Classic and Modern Interventions in Health-Related...
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Physical Activity in the Elderly—Classic and Modern Interventions in Health-Related Physical Fitness: 2nd Edition

A special issue of Healthcare (ISSN 2227-9032).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2023) | Viewed by 9444

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Rafał Stemplewski

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Digital Technologies in Physical Activity, Poznań University of Physical Education, 61-871 Poznań, Poland
Interests: postural stability; application of interactive games (VR); smartphone use in monitoring and enhancing physical activity, elderly people
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Janusz Maciaszek

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Physical Activity and Health Promotion Science, Poznań University of Physical Education, 61-871 Poznań, Poland
Interests: physical activity; physical fitness; functional training; postural stability; elderly people; sleep deprivation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The positive influence of physical activity on functional fitness level, the maintenance of independent living, and health among the elderly has been noted numerous times. The level of functional fitness, especially when considered in view of falls and instability, is a crucial issue for the geriatric population.

Exercises for older people must be simple and easy to imitate and should not involve a high financial cost if the goal is to maintain continuous participation. According to the recommendations of the ACSM, a training plan for healthy older people should include aerobic exercises that influence endurance, resistance, and exercises to improve flexibility.

It is important to determine the type of training that would include all critical elements of physical fitness and thereby influence the maintenance of fitness levels or slow down the aging processes.

This Special Issue of Healthcare aims to show the effects of different interventions on the functional fitness level, independence, and health of elderly people. We invite authors to submit articles connected to classic interventions (e.g., gymnastics, swimming, jogging, etc.), as well as modern interventions (e.g., based on virtual reality, exergames, etc.). We would like to discuss popular, safe, and even controversial forms of physical activity among elderly people. It is important to show that intervention programs should consider deep analyses of factors determining the final effect, namely psychophysical fitness.

Dr. Rafał Stemplewski
Prof. Dr. Janusz Maciaszek
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Healthcare is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • physical activity
  • physical fitness
  • independent living
  • fall prevention
  • classic interventions (swimming, walking, exercise, etc.)
  • modern interventions (exergames, virtual reality, etc.)

Published Papers (4 papers)

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16 pages, 684 KiB  
Article
Functional Capacity of Noninstitutionalized Older Adults from Northwest Mexico: Reference Values
by Gabriel Núñez-Othón, Ena Monserrat Romero-Pérez, Néstor Antonio Camberos, Mario Alberto Horta-Gim, José Manuel Tánori-Tapia and José Antonio de Paz
Healthcare 2023, 11(12), 1733; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11121733 - 13 Jun 2023
Viewed by 908
Abstract
Introduction: Physical capacity (PC) is a strong determinant of health, quality of life, and functional independence in older adults. Having reference values for PC specific to a particular region allows for a contextual interpretation of an individual’s level. Objectives: The objectives of this [...] Read more.
Introduction: Physical capacity (PC) is a strong determinant of health, quality of life, and functional independence in older adults. Having reference values for PC specific to a particular region allows for a contextual interpretation of an individual’s level. Objectives: The objectives of this study were to describe the evolution of key aspects of PC during the aging process and provide reference values for the major components of health-related PC for the older adult population in Northwest Mexico. Methods: A total of 550 independent older adults (60–84 years, 70% women) from the city of Hermosillo (Sonora, Mexico) were included between January and June 2019. PC was assessed using the Senior Fitness Test Battery (SFTB) and grip-strength test. Reference values were established for 5-year age groups, providing percentile values at 10, 25, 50, 75, and 90. The percentage decrease in functional capacity with aging was determined via a linear regression analysis of age against the percentage value of each subject relative to the average value of 60-year-old individuals of the same sex. Results: Statistically significant differences in the results between men and women within the same age group were few and inconsistent, except for handgrip strength, which was lower in women across all age groups. The functional level, with respect to reference values for each age and sex group, was similar between men and women. The most pronounced functional decline during the aging period occurs between 70 and 80 years of age. The various tests generally show an annual percentage loss of approximately 1% from 60 years of age. Conclusions: This is the first study in Mexico that provides reference values for physical capacity using the Senior Fitness Test Battery. In general, older adults—both men and women—show similar functional levels with respect to their respective reference values. In general, an annual decline of 1% from the age of 60 years occurs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Activity in the Elderly—Classic and Modern Interventions in Health-Related Physical Fitness: 2nd Edition)
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14 pages, 1614 KiB  
Article
Effect of the Juggling-Based Motor Learning Physical Activity on Well-Being in Elderly: A Pre–Post Study with a Special Training Protocol
by Jakub Malik and Janusz Maciaszek
Healthcare 2022, 10(12), 2442; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare10122442 - 03 Dec 2022
Viewed by 2184
Abstract
Background: The importance of physical activity for the elderly is undeniable. Specific forms of exercise that are able to engage practitioners, both cognitively and physically, may provide more positive consequences for health and quality of life. Juggling is one of these activities that [...] Read more.
Background: The importance of physical activity for the elderly is undeniable. Specific forms of exercise that are able to engage practitioners, both cognitively and physically, may provide more positive consequences for health and quality of life. Juggling is one of these activities that has both of these characteristics. Methods: Twenty elderly people (70.55 ± 4.91) were included in a juggling-based motor learning protocol for twelve training units during one month of exercising. An evaluation of the proposed exercises (five-point Likert scale) and a subjective assessment of well-being (WHO-5) were conducted during the protocol. Results: All participants learned to perform a three-ball flash cascade. Exercises were rated as very attractive (4.85 ± 0.31) by the practitioners, and a statistically significant improvement in well-being in participants was shown (p < 0.01; d = 0.76). Additionally, in the participating group, the number of people at risk of depression decreased significantly after the intervention with juggling classes (p < 0.01; g = 0.5). Conclusions: The proposed protocol could be an interesting physical activity for the elderly. It can be assumed that this activity, especially when performed in a group form, can improve the well-being of participants in a short period of time. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Activity in the Elderly—Classic and Modern Interventions in Health-Related Physical Fitness: 2nd Edition)
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8 pages, 1338 KiB  
Article
Functional Reaction Times of a Simulated Blocking Test among Para Taekwondo Athletes
by David Michael O’Sullivan, Hee Seong Jeong and Hyung Jin Won
Healthcare 2022, 10(7), 1231; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare10071231 - 01 Jul 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2171
Abstract
Para taekwondo is a combat sport martial art that requires fast reaction times for successful defense during fighting. The current classification system is based on the function and the effective length of the upper limbs, which affects the athlete’s ability to block. Therefore, [...] Read more.
Para taekwondo is a combat sport martial art that requires fast reaction times for successful defense during fighting. The current classification system is based on the function and the effective length of the upper limbs, which affects the athlete’s ability to block. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the differences between the different classes in the athlete’s ability to block and move around the ring. A total of 87 Para taekwondo (K42, K43, and K44) athletes’ data were analyzed. Each participant engaged in the blocking reaction time test in a fighting stance with the left leg in front, the right leg in front, and the legs parallel in random order. A foot-stepping reaction test was performed to anlyze how the athletes moved in various directions. The results indicated no significant differences between the classes for the lower body foot stepping reaction times and the upper body blocking performance times. The stimulated blocking time of the Para taekwondo athletes ranged from 0.79 to 0.97 s Furthermore, the neurological group (0.86 ± 0.09 s) was significantly slower than the amputation/dysmelia group (0.81 ± 0.07 s). We thus concluded that the neurologically impaired athletes were disadvantaged and therefore belonged in a separate class. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Activity in the Elderly—Classic and Modern Interventions in Health-Related Physical Fitness: 2nd Edition)
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14 pages, 1916 KiB  
Brief Report
A Link between Handgrip Strength and Executive Functioning: A Cross-Sectional Study in Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment and Healthy Controls
by Fabian Herold, Berit K. Labott, Bernhard Grässler, Nicole Halfpaap, Corinna Langhans, Patrick Müller, Achraf Ammar, Milos Dordevic, Anita Hökelmann and Notger G. Müller
Healthcare 2022, 10(2), 230; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare10020230 - 26 Jan 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3470
Abstract
Older adults with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) who in addition to their memory deficits also suffer from frontal-executive dysfunctions have a higher risk of developing dementia later in their lives than older adults with aMCI without executive deficits and older adults with [...] Read more.
Older adults with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) who in addition to their memory deficits also suffer from frontal-executive dysfunctions have a higher risk of developing dementia later in their lives than older adults with aMCI without executive deficits and older adults with non-amnestic MCI (naMCI). Handgrip strength (HGS) is also correlated with the risk of cognitive decline in the elderly. Hence, the current study aimed to investigate the associations between HGS and executive functioning in individuals with aMCI, naMCI and healthy controls. Older, right-handed adults with amnestic MCI (aMCI), non-amnestic MCI (naMCI), and healthy controls (HC) conducted a handgrip strength measurement via a handheld dynamometer. Executive functions were assessed with the Trail Making Test (TMT A&B). Normalized handgrip strength (nHGS, normalized to Body Mass Index (BMI)) was calculated and its associations with executive functions (operationalized through z-scores of TMT B/A ratio) were investigated through partial correlation analyses (i.e., accounting for age, sex, and severity of depressive symptoms). A positive and low-to-moderate correlation between right nHGS (rp (22) = 0.364; p = 0.063) and left nHGS (rp (22) = 0.420; p = 0.037) and executive functioning in older adults with aMCI but not in naMCI or HC was observed. Our results suggest that higher levels of nHGS are linked to better executive functioning in aMCI but not naMCI and HC. This relationship is perhaps driven by alterations in the integrity of the hippocampal-prefrontal network occurring in older adults with aMCI. Further research is needed to provide empirical evidence for this assumption. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Activity in the Elderly—Classic and Modern Interventions in Health-Related Physical Fitness: 2nd Edition)
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