Efeitos do treinamento de força sobre a funcionalidade de idosos saudáveis

Abstract

Human aging is a natural process of life. However, physiological changes in the neural andmusculoskeletal systems decrease the muscles mass and their strength, as well as reduce thefunctional capacity in the elderly. Strength training has been advised as a way to alleviatesuch losses, helping to preserve and improve the functional autonomy and quality of life ofthe elderly population. This work has as goal to analyze different strength training protocolsfor healthy elderly, and to verify the impact of this intervention on their functional capacity.In order to fulfill the afore mentioned goal, it was performed a literature reviewaccomplishing publications ranging from 2003 to 2017 as freshest. All the reviewed workapproached in some extends a strength-training program, and then applied pre- and postinterventiontests to assess the impact of training on the functionality of the elderly. Theirresults indicated that body building, as strength training was effectively able to improve thestrength, power and functional performance in the elderly in comparison with the untrainedgroup along 6 to 24 weeks of training. The training programs that indicated better results inmuscle power were those performed at high speed, concentric phase more quickly (1-2 s) andthe eccentric phase slow and controlled (3-4 s.); and intensity with progressive loads between50 and 75% of 1RM from ten weeks of training. In other hand, multiple-series training andshort-duration training favored strength improvement compared to single-series training. Thetests showed improved functional capacity for the trained groups, especially in the Timed Upand Go Test, getting up and sitting in the chair, as well as running tests. The most emphasizedvariables in the prescription of the strength training considered in the studies were intensity,volume, duration and frequency of training