title: Comparative study of the effects of two programs of physical exercises in flexibility and balance of healthy elderly individuals with and without major depression.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess flexibility and balance in healthy elderly subjects with or without major depression, by means of two different programs: aerobic exercises and flexibility and balance exercises.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomized, double-blind controlled study in which each sample was the control of itself. Research subjects were 19 healthy elderly individuals, aged between 60 and 90 years, of both genders, referred to the Department of Geriatrics of the Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, with or without the diagnosis of major depression, and sedentary or that had not engaged in physical activity for at least 6 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Subjects with major depression, as well as those without depression, showed signifcant improvement in flexibility and balance, especially in the group that did aerobic exercises.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this investigation reinforce the relevance of physical exercises for the elderly with major depression, as this is an important tool for treating and following-up this group of patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatrics, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo - USP, Sao Paulo, SP, BR.
authors.forename: Fernanda Varkala
authors.initials: FV
authors.lastname: Lanuez
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatrics, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo - USP, Sao Paulo, SP, BR.
authors.forename: Wilson
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jacob-Filho
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatrics, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo - USP, Sao Paulo, SP, BR.
authors.forename: Mariana Varkala
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Lanuez
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatrics, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo - USP, Sao Paulo, SP, BR.
authors.forename: Ana Cláudia Becattini de
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Oliveira