Changes in spinal range of motion after a flexibility training program in elderly women

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Rehabilitation Science
• Exercise Physiology

Background:

• Aging often leads to reduced spinal mobility, impacting functional activities in elderly women.
• Existing research highlights benefits of spinal flexibility training, but optimal training protocols require further investigation.
• This study addresses the need for standardized flexibility training to improve spinal motion in older adults.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effects of an 8-week standardized flexibility training program on spinal range of motion (ROM) in elderly women.
• To determine the efficacy of a specific training protocol in enhancing spinal flexibility.
• To provide insights into practical training management for improving mobility in older adults.

Main Methods:

• 19 elderly women participated in a trained group (TG) and 18 in a control group (CG) over 8 weeks.
• The TG engaged in two 8-week sessions per week, including warm-up, central training, and cool-down phases.
• Spinal ROM was measured using the SpinalMouse® device before and after the intervention period.

Main Results:

• The TG demonstrated significant improvements: 16.4% increase in spinal inclination and 29.2% in sacral/hip ROM compared to CG.
• Thoracic ROM increased by 22.5% in the TG, though not statistically significant compared to CG.
• No significant difference in lumbar ROM was observed between the TG and CG post-training.

Conclusions:

• An 8-week flexibility training program effectively enhanced spinal ROM in elderly women.
• The described training protocol is practical for active elderly individuals with self-care capabilities.
• This study supports the implementation of targeted flexibility programs to maintain or improve spinal mobility in aging populations.