Abstract

An Effect of Muscle Strength Training Program on Muscle Strength, Muscle Endurance, Instrumental Activities of Daily Living and Quality of Life in the Institutionalized Elderly Recent statistics shows that the aged are the fastest growing segment of our population by increasing life span. The age group of over 60 shows multiple health problems and the most serious handicapping problem of these. are related to the changes in muscular skeletal system. With aging, people lose. their muscle mass and muscle strength resulting from biological changes and physical inactivity. Studies documented a 30-50% loss of muscle mass in an advanced age and thus, ordinary life activities can be seriously affected due to weakened muscle strength. Preservation of muscle strength of lower limb is especially important in the aged. Since it is readily affected from reduced physical activity in old age, sometimes to the detriment of moving or walking. So muscle strength exercise program designed for the elderly to improve leg muscle strength and leg muscle endurance. The research design used was nonequivalent control group pretest - protest design. The purposes of this study were to test the effect of muscle strength exercise program utilizing Leg Press on muscle strength, muscle endurance, instrumental activities of daily living(IADL), cognitive perceptual variables and quality of life. Forty nine subjects participating in this study consisted of twenty four male and twenty five female. Twenty four experimental group subjects were selected from C-institution in Chung Buk province, and twenty five control group subjects were selected from O-institution in Chung Nam province. The mean age of subjects was 72.8 years. Muscle strength training program utilizing Leg Press for the experimental group was carried out three times a week for 9 weeks. The data was collected from August, 1993 to October, 1993. Data were analyzed with chi2-test, t-test, ANCOVA test, Kruskal Wallis 1-Way ANOVA test using SPSS PC program.
Results
were obtained as follows : 1) The experimental group showed significantly higher scores on muscle strength (leg lift strength, back lift strength and grip strength) and muscle endurance than control group after the experiment lower right quadrantF=52.35(p=.001), F=54.07(p=.001), F=6.97(p=.011), F=18.17(p=.001)upper left quadrant 2) Experimental group were significantly higher scores on IADL than control group(F=7.51, p=.009). 3) Experimental group showed significantly higher scores on economical state and self esteem aspects of the quality of life scale than control group lower right quadrantF=10.59(p=.002), F=6.97(p=.011)upper left quadrant. But there were no differences in emotional state, physical and functional state and relationship with reatives in the quality of life between groups. 4) Scores on IADL showed a significant difference with the level of muscle strength and muscle endurance lower right quadrantchi2=7.73(p=.025),;chi2=8.86;(p=.011)upper left quadrant 5) Scores on self esteem and physical and functional state aspects of the quality of life scale showed a significant difference with the level of IADL lower right quadrantchi2=11.39(p=.003),;chi2=9.02(p=.011)upper left quadrant. 6) Scores of experimental group after the experiment in cognitive perceptual variables (perceived benefit on exercise, perceived health status, self efficacy, emotion on exercise) were significantly higher than those of control group lower right quadrantF=32.09(p=.001), F=5.07(p=.029), F=20.63 (p=.001), F=30.38(p=.001)upper left quadrant. As a result of this study, the effect of strength training exercise program with Leg. Press had improved muscle strength, muscle endurance, IADL, and the perception of self esteem, physical and funtional state, and economical state. Thus strength training program could be beneficially applied for the prevention of disablity and promotion of health and wellbeing in the aged easily and safely. The subjects in the experimental group have maintained their exercises till six months after the cessation of the experiment. This seem to illustrate that changes in cognitive perceptual variables and the improvement in health status have reinforced motivation for the continuation of voluntary exercises. A further study is necessary to determine the factors affecting maintainance of muscle strength exercise and to assess the effect of weight training program on bone density.