Influência do programa de fisioterapia aquática na aptidão funcional de idosos com doenças crônicas não transmissíveis

Abstract

Introduction: Chronic non-communicable diseases (CNCD) are responsible for the decline in the functional health of the elderly population, resulting in a high degree of physical limitation and inability to perform daily activities. Aquatic physiotherapy is indicated for the improvement of functional health and quality of life in the elderly with CNCD. Objective: To investigate the influence of short-term the aquatic physiotherapy program on flexibility, balance, muscular endurance of upper and lower limbs, and quality of life in the elderly with CNCD. Methods: The study included 30 volunteers with CNCD (aged 71.77 ± 6.82 years). The balance was evaluated by the Berg scale, risk of falls and by Timed Up and Go (TUG); flexibility by sit and reach test; quality of life was analyzed by the WHOQOL-bref; and for evaluation of strength and muscular endurance of upper and lower limbs, the tests were forearm flexion test (FFT), and sit and stand chair test (SSCT), respectively. The aquatic physiotherapy program (APP) lasted eight weeks, two days per week, and duration of 50 minutes per session. Results: There was an increase in flexibility from 20.00 (18.00-22.00) cm to 24.00 (22.25-26.00) cm; the values of the Berg scale were 41.50 (40.00-46.00) points to 44.00 (41.25-49.00) points; in the FFT, from 12.83 ± 2.57 repetition, to 14.50 ± 3.62 repetition; with respect to SSCT, these were of 10.87 ± 1.80 repetition to 14,03 ± 1,90 repetition; reduced TUG execution time from 9.56 (8.25-10.00) seconds to 8.36 (7.08-9.50) seconds; and in relation to quality of life, there was improvement in the domains: psychological, from 54.20 (54.20-62.50) to 58.30 (54.32-65.75); social, from 58.30 (50.00-66.70) to 59.52 (51.70-83.35) and environmental, from 59.40 (50.00-64.82) to , 32-71,12). Conclusion: After eight weeks of aquatic physiotherapy, there was an increase in flexibility, improvement of balance, reduction in the risk of fallls, increased muscle strength and endurance of upper and lower limbs, and in most domains of quality of life in the older people with CNCD.