Effects of an eight-week stretching and strengthening program on ADL, flexibility, and strength measures of adults aged 60 - 85

This study was conducted to determine the effects of a stretching and strength program on activities of daily living (ADL), flexibility and strength measures in the elderly. Twenty-one experimental (E) Ss, 19 females and 3 males, in addition to 4 female control (C) Ss, were tested on 2 separate occasions for flexibility, strength and ADL items. The Ss were all volunteers from the Sauber Manor High Rise Apartment Complex (S.M.) in La Crosse, WI., whose ages ranged from 60-86. An eight-week program was conducted at S.M. which emphasized upper body stretching and strength training. Each S exercised 3 times/week for 45 min., in a seated position. An attendance chart, music, conversation, and graduation party were incorporated to maintain compliance. The specific joint movements measured with a double-armed goniometer were: shoulder flexion, extension, adduction, and 2 measures of abduction. Grip strength was measured with a hand dynamometer, and push-and-pull strength with a computerized arm/chest dynamometer. ADL items were determined by using a 15-item modified questionnaire. The data were treated using independent and dependent "t" tests with the level of significance (sig.) set at p <.05. Only item #10 showed sig. in the ADL items using the dependent "t" in the E group for the pre- to post-test scores. All of the flexibility items were sig. using the dependent "t" in the E group for the pre- to post-test scores. All flexibility scores were sig. when comparing the E and C groups with an independent "t" test. Two of the 3 strength measures were sig. with the dependent ?t" in the E group. The high attendance group (19 or more sessions) improved sig. in the push measurement of strength when compared to the low attendance group (18 or less sessions)