著者 | Tsutou, Akimitsu Ikezoe, Tome Nakamoto, Jun Matsumoto, Daisuke Nishiyama, Kaori Sakamoto, Mayumi |
内容記述 | The effects of a low-intensity resistance training for 1 year on quadriceps strength (QS) and balance function (BF) of elderly women dwelling in a nursing home were investigated. The subjects, mean±S.D. age=80.3±6.8, were assigned to either the control group (CG) (aged: 79.3±6.6, n=13) or the training group (TG) (aged: 81.3±7.2, n=13). At baseline, grip strength and BF examined by the functional reach test was correlated with QS in subjects above 80 years old (O subjects) (aged: 86.1±3.8, n=13) respectively (r=0.734, P<0.05; r=0.590, P<0.05, respectively), but not in subjects below 80 years old (Y subjects) (aged: 74.5±3.2, n=13). And, grip strength was correlated with BF in Y subjects (r=0.816, P<0.01), but not in O subjects. Training 4 to 6 days a week with each session for about 20 minutes a day was performed. After 1 year, a significant increase (from 0.98±0.31 to 1.15±0.28Nm/kg, P<0.05) of QS was observed in Y subjects (aged:75.7±2.9, n=7) of TG, but not in O subjects (aged: 87.8±4.3, n=6) of TG. The ability of BF was maintained in both Y subjects and O subjects of TG. As for the ability of BF in Y subjects of CG (aged: 73.2±3.2, n=6), there was no significant difference. However, in O subjects of CG (aged: 84.6±2.9, n=7), it was decreased (from 24.7±3.1 to 20.4±5.5Nm/kg, P<0.05). These results suggest that 1) grip strength is an indicator for QS, but not for BF in O subjects, 2) QS is an indicator for BF in O subjects, and 3) low-intensity resistance training is effective for increasing QS (at least in Y subjects) and maintaining BF in Y and O subjects of the frail elderly. |