title: [The effects of an exercise program for the female elderly in the community].
abstract: In Mizumaki-cho, Fukuoka, a "School of muscle-building for the elderly" was held by the self-help group "MIZUMAKI Iki-iki senior club" once a week from Sep. 2002 to Mar. 2004. This school program included stretching, aerobics and resistance exercises. In this study, we clarified the effect of exercise for the 38 elderly females in this school. Their average age was 65.8 years old. Blood pressure, BMI, body %Fat, VO2 max, grasping power, time of standing on one leg with eyes open, anteflexion while sitting, time of walking for 10 m and time of standing up from sitting on a chair were measured before starting school, after 6 months, 12 months and 18 months. Every measured value except BMI and VO2 max was improved, and these improvements continued for 18 months. Especially, it was shown that time of standing on one leg with eyes open, time of standing up from sitting on a chair and time of walking for 10 m improved by 121.6%, 112.7%, 30.4%, respectively, compared with each measured value at the start. These improvements might produce the effect of fall prevention for the elderly. From the results of this study, it was clarified that regular exercise builds up the muscles of the female elderly, and continuation of exercise also extends the effect of exercise for the female elderly.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, Yahatanishi-ku, Kitakyushu 807-8555, Japan.
authors.forename: Mieko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Takao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakazono
authors.forename: Jyoji
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nagata
authors.forename: Tsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Haraguchi
authors.forename: Shounin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kan
authors.forename: Masayoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hara
authors.forename: Kouichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Okada
authors.forename: Kumiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Noguchi
authors.forename: Shinya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matsuda
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000368:Aged / Q000502:physiology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D016138:Walking