Efeitos agudos dos exercícios aquáticos em piscina aquecida e não aquecida na flexibilidade do quadril, mobilidade, resposta hemodinâmica e conforto térmico em idosos

Abstract

Introduction: Populational ageing lead to limitations of body movement and falls, which is accompanied by partial or total disability and loss of functional capacity. This study compared the influence of water temperature on the acute effects of exercise on hip flexibility, functional mobility and thermal comfort in elderly subjects. Methods: Forty-one volunteers (29 women, 68.41 ± 5.84 years) underwent 30 minutes of exercise in heated and non-heated water: walking in multiple directions; resistance exercises using floatation devices, and stretching. The volunteers were evaluated before and after the exercises in regards to hip flexibility, mobility (Timed Up and Go, TUG), thermal comfort and hemodynamics. Results: A significant increase in hip flexibility was observed in both non-heated (pre-test: 92.44 ± 10.03 °; posttest 102.00 ° ± 10.44, p <0.01) and heated water (pre-test: 98.56 ± 12.31 °, post-test: 103.35 ° ± 10.44, p <0.01). There were significant differences in hip flexibility, with more gain in flexion range in the non-heated water (p = 0.04). Also, a reduction in execution time of the TUG in the non-heated (pre-test: 12.36 ± 3.29, post-test: 11.19 ± 3.75 seconds, p <0.01) and heated water (pre-test: 11.32 ± 3.02, post-test: 10.71 ± 2.29 seconds, p <0.01) was observed without significant differences between temperature conditions (p = 0.21). There was no significant difference in thermal comfort between both swimming pools (p = 1.00).