Physical conditioning in elderly people

Maximal isometric force, coordination, balance, reaction time, flexibility, maximal oxygen uptake, blood lipids and oral glucose tolerance were measured in 59 healthy untrained men and women, 60–82 years of age, before and after 5 months of 3 different kind of physical activities: gymnastics, swimming and senior dance. As a control group, 14 untrained men and women, 61–64 years of age, were recruited from a large study in Copenhagen. The results demonstrate significant improvements in neuromuscular function and blood lipids. In contrast, only minor changes were observed in glucose metabolism and maximal oxygen uptake. Five months of training, twice a week, seems therefore sufficient to induce marked changes in the neuromuscular function and blood lipids of elderly people, whereas the lack of significant changes in glucose metabolism and maximal oxygen uptake still need to be explained.