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Low to Moderate Intensity Endurance Training in Healthy Older Adults: Physiological Responses after Four Months
Author(s) -
Posner Joel D.,
Gorman Kevin M.,
WindsorLandsberg Lisa,
Larsen James,
Bleiman Michael,
Shaw Carl,
Rosenberg Beth,
Knebl Janice
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1992.tb01820.x
Subject(s) - medicine , physical therapy , vo2 max , heart rate , endurance training , randomized controlled trial , blood pressure
Objective To determine the physiological adaptations in previously sedentary healthy older men and women (mean age = 68) to a 16‐week low‐to‐moderate‐intensity exercise program. Design Randomized, controlled trial. Setting An exercise facility and testing laboratory in a gerontological research institute. Participants Two‐hundred forty‐seven community‐dwelling older persons free of significant cardiovascular, pulmonary, or uncontrolled metabolic disease, anemia, electrolyte abnormality, resting BP of 165/90 or greater, or chronic disease affecting the ability to exercise on a bicycle. Intervention Subjects were randomly assigned to either an exercise ( n = 166) or attention control group ( n = 81). Exercisers trained thrice weekly for 40 minutes on a cycle ergometer (5‐minute warm up, 30 minutes at training heart rate (THR), 5‐minute cool down). THR was set at 70% of peak heart rate attained on a maximal exercise test (mean = 115 ± 15). Control subjects attended weekly group talks. Testing took place before and after the program. Results Peak attained oxygen uptake (VO 2 max) increased 8.5% in exercisers and decreased slightly in controls (p < .001) and oxygen uptake at ventilatory threshold (VeT VO 2 ) increased by 3.5% in exercisers and decreased by 3% in controls (p < .001). This pattern of a greater increase in VO 2 max than VeT VO 2 is different from that seen in young and middle‐aged subjects. Conclusion This study demonstrated that a large scale training program is feasible for healthy older people, that physiologic improvements can be measured after 16 weeks of low‐to‐moderate‐intensity training, and that mechanisms of adaptation to exercise may be different in elderly subjects from those in younger ones.