title: Repercussions of training and detraining by water-based exercise on functional fitness and quality of life: a short-term follow-up in healthy older women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effects of short-term exercise detraining on the functional fitness of older women after a 12-week water-based exercise (WE) program.
  
  
  METHODS
  Healthy older women (trained (TR) group) were submitted to 12 weeks WE (three 45 min sessions per week) followed by a 6-week detraining period. A group of aged-matched women without any exercise training (UN group) were evaluated during the same period. The aerobic power, measured by VO₂max and 800 meters performance, and the neuromuscular fitness and quality of life were evaluated. All assessments were made at baseline, after 12 weeks of training and after 4 and 6 weeks of detraining.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No changes were found for the UN group during the follow-up study, but WE induced significant improvement in aerobic capacity, neuromuscular fitness and quality of life score. However, the upper and lower body strength, agility, flexibility, and body balance returned to UN levels (p > 0.05) after 6 weeks of detraining.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results confirmed that 12 weeks of WE improves the functional fitness parameters and quality of life of older women. However, after a short detraining period of 4-6 weeks, the neuromuscular parameters and the quality of life score returns to baseline or untrained subject levels.
authors.affiliation: Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. bocalini@fcr.epm.br
authors.forename: Danilo Sales
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Bocalini
authors.forename: Andrey Jorge
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Serra
authors.forename: Roberta Luksevicius
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Rica
authors.forename: Leonardo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dos Santos
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006875:Hydrotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D013997:Time Factors; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D014867:Water