Physiological Responses Associated with Nordic-Walking and Walking in Middle-age Women

This study aimed to analyze the influence of supervised 12-week walking (W) and Nordic-walking (NW) programs on changes in specific physiological parameters in middle-aged women 55.40±7.87 and 52.58±6.91 years of age, respectively. Body mass, fat tissue percentage, muscle tissue percentage, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, resting pulse, and maximum oxygen uptake were measured at the beginning and end of the exercise program. Intra- and intergroup differences in physiological parameters as a function of the preparation period were analyzed using bootstrap analysis. Clinically reliable changes for a specific subject in the W and NW programs were analyzed using the Reliable Change Index (RCI). The results of this study indicate that more distinct differences were observed in the NW group. However, both programs improved the parameters studied. Nevertheless, an analysis of the RCI indicates that the W provides results similar to, if not better than, NW for increasing neuromuscular, cardiovascular, and cardiorespiratory fitness. This study leads us to the conclusion that the W is not less efficient than the NW for middle-aged women.