Functional training in postmenopause: Cardiac autonomic modulation and cardiorespiratory parameters, a randomized trial

Aim To evaluate the influence of functional training on cardiorespiratory parameters and cardiac autonomic modulation in postmenopausal women. Methods A total of 39 apparently healthy postmenopausal women were randomized into two groups and analyzed: the group that carried out the functional training (FTG; n = 19; age 60 ± 4.5 years; weight 67.64 ± 11.64 kg) for 18 weeks, and the control group (CG) who did not undergo the training ( n = 20; age 58.45 ± 4.8 years; weight 66.91 ± 13.24 kg). Blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate and autonomic modulation trough heart rate variability were evaluated. The Student's t ‐test or Mann–Whitney test were used to compare the differences ( P  < 0.05). Results The results obtained from the training showed improvement of the following cardiac parameters in the FTG: systolic blood pressure (CG −5.50 ± 12.76 vs FTG −18.36 ± 18.05, P = 0.021), diastolic blood pressure (CG 5.00 ± 20.13 vs FTG −9.47 ± 10.25, P = 0.002), heart rate (CG 7.00 ± 9.79 vs FTG −4.73 ± 8.41, P = 0.000), root mean square of the successive differences index (CG −0.18 ± 5.66 vs FTG 5.10 ± 11.93, P = 0.035) and RR intervals (CG –22.66 ± 75.75 vs FTG 70.17 ± 104.30, P = 0.003). Conclusion Functional training promoted beneficial effects on cardiac autonomic modulation and cardiorespiratory parameters in postmenopausal women. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2019; 19: 823–828 .