Effect of a sand or firm-surface walking program on health, strength, and fitness in women 60-75 years old.
The effects of 8 wk of soft-sand (n = 19) and firm-surface walking (n = 19) on blood lipids, submaximal fitness (8-min walk at 4.5 km/hr), and leg strength in elderly (60+ yr), sedentary women were studied. Significant main time effects (p < .005) were found for blood lipids. The surface interaction effect for high-density lipoprotein approached significance (p = .052), with a tendency for higher levels in the sand group postintervention (p = .06). Neither group reported significant differences across time for submaximal oxygen consumption (p = .223), but a greater percentage reduction in heart-rate response to the 8-min walk was reported in the sand group (p = .016). Knee strength did not change in either group, whereas hip strength significantly improved in both groups (p = .0001), with larger effect sizes reported in the sand group. Overall, both groups showed improvements in blood lipids, fitness, and strength, with strength changes being slightly higher in the sand-walking group.
Morrison
Kimberley
K
School of Sport Science, Exercise and Health, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia.
Braham
Rebecca A
RA
Dawson
Brian
B
Guelfi
Kym
K
D000368:Aged; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006339:Heart Rate; D006615:Hip; D006801:Humans; D007717:Knee; D007866:Leg; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*
D008055:Lipids; D012822:Silicon Dioxide