Effect of exergames and conventional proprioceptive exercise on muscle strength and functional performance of elderly women

Resumo

Objective: To assess and compare the effect of a training protocol with exergames and conventional proprioceptive exercise on muscle strength and functional performance of elderly women. Methods: This was a randomized controlled clinical trial. The final sample of the present study consisted of 45 women with aged ≥ 60 years and allocated into three groups: conventional proprioceptive training (n = 15), exergame (n = 15), and control (n = 15). Over 8 weeks, participants underwent 24 intervention sessions, three times a week. The conventional training group performed exercises involving walking and postural balance, organized in a circuit with seven stations. The exergame group performed exercises using the Xbox Kinect One. videogame, simulating five sports activities: jet ski racing, climbing, soccer, bowling, and tennis. The variables assessed were functional mobility through the Time Up and Go Test (TUGT), Five Times Sit to Stand Test (FTSST), and muscle strength through the Handgrip Strength Test (HGS). Results: A temporal analysis showed a significant large effect reduction in the time taken to perform the FTSST in both exercise protocols, with conventional training reducing by 1.47 s and exergame by 1.22 s. In the walking test performance, assessed by TUGT, an interaction with a large effect was observed between the control and conventional training groups, with worsened performance in the control group and improved performance in the conventional training group. Conclusion: No differences were found between the conventional training and exergame groups, indicating that both interventions can be used as strategies to improve functional performance in elderly women.