Physiological implications of intensive training amongthe elderly in medicinal spring baths

Introduction

With the increase of age evidence shows direct correlation with a decrease in flexibility and joint mobility among the elderly subsequently disenabling them to perform basic daily requirements. The hot baths consist of elderly people attracted to its therapeutic properties. Nonetheless, the absence of an organized exercise program created the initiative for this research. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect an intense exercise program would have upon the joint mobility of the elderly bathing in spring water.

Methods

A daily exercise program lasting 30 minutes for 20 days was implemented for 61 elderly participants. This research took place in a pool consisting of 100 % medicinal spring water at 34 ºC located in the Revitalization Center at the Thermae Sylla Hotel in Evia. Participants were residents of the Hotel. Using the Layton electronic joint metro measurements were taken at the neck, shoulder, hip, knee, and ankle joints; all at different angles. The control group consisted of 39 adults that were not involved in the exercise program but did do the medicinal bath therapy. The statistical analysis was found using the independent t test and paired t test to compare differences between the initial measurements and the final measurements of both the experimental and control groups.

Results

According to the results, the statistics showed impressive improvements between the first and final measurements for all of the participants in the experimental group. In contrast, the control group showed no significant changes. While there were some that did show improvement, there were others that remained the same and even others that worsened.

Discussion/ Conclusions

Similar results were found in a 12 week research performed three times a week by Whitlatch et all [11]. The inability to show significant changes towards improvement in the control group supports the idea that the impressive improvements within the experimental group were not just by luck. In conclusion an intensive exercise program in medicinal spring water improves the physiological capacity in joint flexibility.

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