Effectiveness of Quadriceps Resistance Training on Physical Function of Elderly People
YC06-YC08
Correspondence
Dr. Purushothaman Senthil,
197,198, Rainbow Paradise, 103-B Block, Bhuvaneshwari Nagar 3rd Main Road, Velacherry, Behind Chennai Silks, Chennai-600042, Tamil Nadu, India.
E-mail: senthilp101010@gmail.com
Introduction: Aging is commonly associated with decreased muscle size, strength and less force production in elderly people. Loss of skeletal muscle mass, strength and quality have fatalistic impacts on their physical activity. Weakness of the lower extremities (especially quadriceps muscle) has been associated with difficulties in getting up from the bed and rising from the chair, slower walking, altered balance and increased risk of falls. These functional alterations can lead to decreased physical activity independence. The quadriceps force production is decreased with increase in age and affects the daily routine activity of elderly which creates much complication and thereby more socio-economic expenditure.
Aim: To find out the effect of Quadriceps resistance with flexibility exercise on physical function of elderly subjects.
Materials and Methods: A Pre and Post experimental study design with a total of 70 subjects with age of 60-85 year were divided into 35 participants in experimental group who received quadriceps resistance training with flexibility exercises and 35 participants in control group who received flexibility exercises alone for 12 weeks study duration. Pre-test and post-test Quadriceps strength was measured using isometric push pull dynamometer and also timed up and go test was done for physical function of participants in both the groups respectively. Paired t-test was used to examine the impact of intervention among the variables.
Results: The quadriceps strength had pre-test values of 26.77±2.30 and post-test value of 42.17±5.56 in experimental group, pre-test value of 26.34±1.11 and post-test value of 28.00±2.47 in control group. The physical function with pre-test values of 17.69±2.63 and post-test value of 7.97±1.03 in experimental group, pre-test value of 17.37±2.30 and post-test value of 14.00±1.24 in control group. Experimental group showed significant changes (p<0.05) among the variables when compared with the control group.
Conclusion: Quadriceps resistance exercise was shown to be more effective mode of intervention along with the flexibility exercise on physical function of elderly people. Thus, the implementation of resistance training of quadriceps will prevent the age-related sarcopenia and improve the physical function of elderly.