Effects of eight weeks strength training on flexibility in older adults

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of 8 weeks’ resistance training on fl exibility in older individuals. Nineteen older people participated in the study and were assigned into one of two groups: training group (TG) (5 women and 6 men) and control group (CG) (5 women and 5 men). Flexibility was measured by a fl eximeter for seven joint movements: shoulder, hip, knee and elbow fl exion and shoulder, hip and elbow extension, both sides, before and after intervention. The resistance training protocol comprised 3 sessions per week; 3 sets of 10-to-12 RM per session and lasted for 8 weeks. The data exhibited normal distribution (Shapiro-Wilk test) and therefore Student’s t-test for paired samples was applied to check for differences in initial condition between groups. Either a two-way ANCOVA (when the initial condition was different) or a two-way ANOVA was used, with signifi cance at p<0.05. The analyses showed signifi cant Groups vs. Time interaction for the left shoulder extension (24%), left hip fl exion (9%) and left and right hip extension (40 and 61%, respectively). Interpretation of the results suggests that resistance training can contribute to maintaining or even increasing fl exibility of a variety of joints and movements in older people.