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Walking regimen to increase aerobic capacity and thigh muscle strength for elderly people by accelerometry
Author(s) -
Nemoto Kenichi,
Genno Hirokazu,
Nose Hiroshi
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.20.4.a383-a
Subject(s) - isometric exercise , pedometer , medicine , regimen , cycling , physical therapy , aerobic exercise , physical medicine and rehabilitation , physical activity , archaeology , history
We developed a walking regimen by accelerometry to increase peak aerobic capacities during walking (WVO 2max ) and cycling (CVO 2, peak ), isometric knee extension (F EXT ), and flexion (F FLX ) forces for elderly people in the field. Elderly people aged ~65 yr were divided into 3 groups according to exercise training regimens by walking for 5 mos; 1) no participation in training [no‐ET, male (M)=9, female (F)=37], 2) constant moderate velocity of walking with a pedometer, ~40% of their WVO 2peak ’ >8,000 steps· day‐1 for >4 days·wk −1 [W CNT , M=8, F=44], and 3) interval walking with an accelerometer, >5 sets of 3‐min low‐velocity walk at 30% WVO2peak followed by 3‐min high‐velocity of walk at 70% WVO 2peak for >4 days·wk −1 [W INT , M=11, F=31]. Before and after ET, F EXT and F FLX were measured by Biodex, and CVO 2, peak was determined by respiratory gas analyses during graded cycling. WVO 2peak was estimated by substituting accelerations during graded walking for the equation reported previously ( Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 35: 1766–1772, 2003 ). After training, F EXT , F FLX , CVO 2peak , and WVO 2peak in W INT increased by 11.6% (P<0.01), 16.0% (P<0.05), 9.3% (P<0.05), and 8.3% (P< 0.05), respectively, while they remained unchanged in other groups (P<0.05). The change in WVO 2peak in individuals after ET was significantly correlated with that in CVO 2peak (R 2 = 0.444, P<0.001). Thus, ET by interval walking for 5 mos increases aerobic capacity and thigh muscle strength in elderly people, which can be done and evaluated by accelerometry.