Effects of a functional training program in the activities of daily life and functional capacity of elderly persons of UATI: a clinical test

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Human aging causes biopsychosocial changes that interfere with the activities of daily living (ADL) and functional training can act as a therapeutic resource to prevent, minimize or reverse these clinical features. OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that functional training improves the ability to perform ADL and the functional capacity of sedentary elderly. METHODS: Single-arm trial with before and after intervention analysis in the same group. Elderly of the ‘Universidade Aberta da Terceira Idade’, aged 60 years and older, with more than three months without physical exercise, with a medical and physiotherapeutic indication for exercise, were included in the study, and were excluded the ones who presented cognitive decline according to the Mini Mental State Exam (MMSE) and frequency less than 70%. Sociodemographic and anthropometric data, self-reported morbidities, functional capacity and ADL performance were collected. Functional training occurred twice a week, 60 minutes per session for four months. Data were submitted to descriptive statistics and t test. This study was approved by the ethics committee with number 02585813.0.0000.0057. RESULTS: Participants were 16 elderlies, with mean age 69.6 ± 6.6 years, the majority with low schooling (52.5%), low income (56.3 <one minimum wage), widows (50%), and overweight (75.1%). Among the morbidities, chronic pain prevailed (25%). The functional capacity and ADL tests showed positive results from the intervention with p <0.05 and it was verified that the functional improvement was higher in the elderly of 60 to 69 years (p <0.05). CONCLUSION: Functional training improves the functional capacity and performance of the ADL of elderlies, regardless of age, but this improvement is more pronounced among the elderlies with less age.