Functional performance and quality of life related to training and detraining of community-dwelling elderly

Purpose.?Despite clear evidence of physiological declines during detraining, the effects of detraining on functional performance and quality of life have not often been investigated. The purpose of this study was to investigate functional performance and quality of life measures after a training and detraining programme with community-dwelling elderly.

Method.?Twenty-three subjects took part in a combined programme of muscle strengthening and aerobic conditioning twice a week and were assessed at baseline, after training, and after one, two, and three months of detraining. Functional performance was assessed by gait speed and by the rate of ascending and descending stairs, while quality of life was evaluated by the Nottingham Health Profile.

Results.?Repeated measures ANOVA showed that gains observed in measures of gait speed, ascending, and descending stairs returned to baseline after one, two, and three months of detraining, respectively. However, the gains in quality of life remained unchanged.

Conclusions.?One-month detraining was enough to show functional decline, with gait speed the most sensitive parameter to detect these changes and QL measure most resilient, beneficial factor during the detraining process. Based on these findings, it is recommended that programmes devised for elderly should not be interrupted, to maintain the acquired benefits.