IDEA
Press Release - WATER
FITNESS FOR SENIORS
 Back to 2003 Press Releases
San
Diego – In recognition of the growing popularity and effectiveness
of water fitness, the upcoming IDEA World Fitness & Personal
Trainer Convention® will offer extensive educational programming
in this form of exercise. And one of the age groups benefiting the most
from water exercise is older adults. Mary E. Sanders, MS, education
director for WaterFit/Wave Aerobics and adjunct professor in the health
ecology department at the University of Nevada at Reno, explains the
benefits of water exercise for older adults:
1.
Safety. Water provides a safe environment because exercisers
can’t fall as easily in water as they can on land. In addition, since
aquatic exercise is low- or nonimpact (depending on water depth), a
pool workout won’t stress the joints. Water also has a cooling effect.
Exercisers can control the intensity of their workouts without the stresses
of gravity or overheating -- and yet still get a cardiovascular workout
and manage their weight.
2.
Quality of Life. For older adults who are inactive or have
chronic conditions, daily living can prove challenging. By performing
real life patterns of movement in the water, older adults can improve
their quality of life on land.
3.
Everyday Function. When previously sedentary women in their
70s completed a 16-week program of water exercise designed to improve
their abilities on land, the results were positive. The women increased
their stride length and walking speed; developed greater dynamic balance
and agility; and improved their ability to climb stairs and move from
sitting to standing. Both body fat and medication use decreased, and
the women found it easier to perform their daily tasks (Sanders et al.,
1997, Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 29 [5]).
4.
General Health. Research has shown that regular water exercise
offers older adults significant benefits in terms of general health.
For example, after training 3 days a week for 12 weeks, one group (average
age = 65.2 years) showed improvements in oxygen capacity and resting
heart rate; participants also made significant gains in upper-body muscular
endurance and in their total-to-HDL cholesterol ratio (Ruoti, Troup
& Berger, 1994, Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy,
19 [3]).
5.
Rheumatoid Arthritis. Water can be a wonderful exercise environment
for people with rheumatoid arthritis. After 8 weeks of warm water training,
older adults with rheumatic disease felt less pain, enjoyed more motion
in their joints and found it easier to perform daily living activities
(Templeton, Booth & O’Kelly, 1996, Journal of Orthopaedic and
Sports Physical Therapy, 23 [6]).
6.
Osteoarthritis. Aquatic exercise can also help people with
osteo arthritis. A study involving middle-aged to older women with this
condition found that water training improved mobility, walking, bending
and the ability to perform household tasks (Norton et al., 1997, Journal
of Physical Therapy, 5 [3]).
7.
Emotional Well Being. Exercising in the water can lift your spirits!
In two of the studies already mentioned (Sanders et al. 1997; Norton et
al. 1997), participants reported that their mood improved over the course
of the program. In the first of these, the women said their self-esteem
improved and they felt happier. In the second, subjects reported less
tension. In other research, water exercise provided lasting emotional
benefit to people with chronic rheumatoid arthritis (Hall et al., 1996,
Arthritis Care and Research, 9 [3]).
8.
Cardiovascular Health. Water-based exercise can be lots of fun,
but it can also do the heart good in other ways. By exercising in shallow
water for 45 minutes 4 times a week, healthy older adults can meet the
American College of Sports Medicine’s guidelines for cardio-respiratory
and weight management training.
9.
Strength. Water is 800 times denser than air. That means movements
performed at an average speed in water meet with approximately 12 to 15
times as much resistance as similar movements performed in air. What’s
more, the harder an exerciser pushes in the water, the more resistance
she or he feels. The great benefit of resistance is that it helps build
strength!
10.
Circulation. When exercisers stand in approximately 5 feet of
water, the water’s pressure aids circulation and helps reduce swelling
all over the body, especially in the feet (Lawton & Coberly, 2000,
Orthopedic Technology Review, 2 [11]).
IDEA is
the world's leading membership organization of health and fitness professionals
with more than 23,000 members in over 80 countries. Since 1982, IDEA
has provided health and fitness professionals with pertinent information,
educational opportunities, career development programs and industry
leadership while helping them enhance the quality of life worldwide
through safe, effective fitness and healthy lifestyle programs. For
more information on IDEA events, publications, educational products,
member services or other activities, visit the IDEA website at: www.IDEAfit.com.
MEMBERS
OF THE NEWS MEDIA: To receive a brochure and schedule of events
for the IDEA World Fitness & Personal Trainer Convention, or to
receive a registration form for a complimentary press pass, contact
David Gilroy at: (858) 535-8979, ext. 262, or e-mail: gilroyd@IDEAfit.com
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