Comparisons of the Health Benefits of Strength Training, Aqua-Fitness, and Aerobic Exercise for the Elderly

Table 1

Distribution and results of the participants according to the different activities.

	ALL; (n = 108)		STRENGTH PROGRAM; (n = 36)		AQUA-FITNESS; PROGRAM (n = 36)		AEROBIC EXERCISE PROGRAM (n = 36)
	Pre-test	Post-test	Pre-test	Post-test	Pre-test	Post-test	Pre-test	Post-test
Weight	65.8 ± 8.6	63 ± 6.1	64.3 ± 8.4	62.2 ± 4	68.8 ± 3.9	67.6 ± 6.1	65.6 ± 11.2	61.8 ± 8.3
Body Mass Index	28.4 ± 4.1	26.6 ± 4	27.6 ± 4.1	25.9 ± 3.3	30.1 ± 3.1	29 ± 4.6	28.2 ± 4.7	26.1 ± 4.3
Rikli & Jones (Senior Fitness Test):
Strength Lower Limbs	17.2 ± 5	20.6 ± 4.7	16.7 ± 3.6	19.8 ± 4.7	19.5 ± 5.9	21.3 ± 4.7	15.9 ± 5.1	20.8 ± 4.9
Strength Upper Limbs	20.9 ± 5.7	25.9 ± 5.7	21.1 ± 6.2	26.9 ± 6.3	21.8 ± 5.2	27.1 ± 5.5	20.1 ± 5.7	23.9 ± 4.7
Flexibility Lower Limbs	-1 ± 8.2	-0.9 ± 9	-1.5 ± 8.6	-1.3 ± 8.9	0.1 ± 7	0.9 ± 9.1	-1.5 ± 9	-0.5 ± 9.3
Flexibility Upper Limbs	-9.2 ± 10.9	-7.4 ± 10.4	-11 ± 10.8	-8.1 ± 11.9	-6.5 ± 11.3	-5.1 ± 8.9	-9.4 ± 10.8	-7 ± 10.3
Short Form Health Survey (SF12):
Physical function	51.9 ± 7.7	54.5 ± 5.7	53.5 ± 5.8	54.7 ± 5.3	51 ± 8.2	53.3 ± 7.3	51.9 ± 8.6	54.6 ± 5.9
Physical limitations	39 ± 1.5	39.1 ± 1.7	39.1 ± 1.2	38.7 ± 1.7	39 ± 1	39.4 ± 1.6	38.9 ± 2	38.2 ± 1.9
Pain	33.4 ± 14.1	26.5 ± 11.5	29.3 ± 12.4	26.2 ± 11.5	35.7 ± 15.2	29.6 ± 13	34.9 ± 15	25 ± 10.4
General health	41.1 ± 9.7	47.1 ± 9	43.2 ± 9	47 ± 9.4	38.4 ± 11.2	46 ± 9.2	39.3 ± 8.7	47.3 ± 8.8
Vitality	40.7 ± 11.7	44.7 ± 9.1	38.7 ± 9.1	38.2 ± 7.9	37.2 ± 12.2	37.9 ± 10.6	45.6 ± 12.4	45.7 ± 9.1
Emotional limitations	54.3 ± 7.6	53.8 ± 4.5	56.6 ± 0	56.6 ± 0	52.9 ± 9.6	50.1 ± 2.2	53.7 ± 8.6	50.8 ± 7.8
Social functions	20.7 ± 3.8	21.4 ± 3.2	21 ± 3.6	21.4 ± 3.1	20.8 ± 3.6	20 ± 2.8	21.5 ± 2.7	21.9 ± 3
Mental health	49.4 ± 8.3	49.3 ± 7	49 ± 9.4	49.1 ± 3.9	50.4 ± 9.1	52 ± 6.7	49.7 ± 6.1	49.3 ± 7.9
General physical health	44.9 ± 4.6	45.2 ± 4.7	44.8 ± 4.7	45.5 ± 4.5	44.2 ± 4.3	45.8 ± 5.8	44.8 ± 4.2	44.9 ± 4.8
General mental health	38.6 ± 5.2	38.4 ± 4.6	38.7 ± 5.8	38.2 ± 4.1	38 ± 5	38.4 ± 4.3	40 ± 5	40.2 ± 5.7

p < 0.05; p < 0.01; and p < 0.001.