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BackgroundGait ability in older adults has been associated with independent living, increased survival rates, fall prevention, and quality of life. There are inconsistent findings regarding the effects of exercise interventions in the maintenance of gait parameters.ObjectivesThe aim of the study was to analyze the effects of a community-based periodized exercise intervention on the improvement of gait parameters and functional fitness in an older adult group compared with a non-periodized program.MethodsA quasi-experimental study with follow-up was performed in a periodized exercise group (N=15) and in a non-periodized exercise group (N=13). The primary outcomes were plantar pressure gait parameters, and the secondary outcomes were physical activity, aerobic endurance, lower limb strength, agility, and balance. These variables were recorded at baseline and after 6 months of intervention.ResultsBoth programs were tailored to older adults’ functional fitness level and proved to be effective in reducing the age-related decline regarding functional fitness and gait parameters. Gait parameters were sensitive to both the exercise interventions.ConclusionThese exercise protocols can be used by exercise professionals in prescribing community exercise programs, as well as by health professionals in promoting active aging.

Abstract:This study aimed to translate, adapt and validate the Yale Physical Activity Survey (YPAS) to Portuguese culture in order to assess the level of physical activity in a country with one of the world's highest percentage of senior citizens. Permission was obtained from the original authors and translated according to WHO guidelines. Validation included 471 older adults (70.3% women; 74.9±6.5 years), covering Criterion Validity, through Spearman's rho, with a cross-reference standard, by accelerometry with 96 subjects; and Reliability comprising Internal Consistency through Cronbach's alpha with 471 subjects, and Temporal Stability through Intraclass Correlation Coefficient involving 30 subjects. YPAS-PT appeared suitable and relevant with low-to-moderate levels for all psychometric parameters. Significant correlations were found for all variables, including accelerometer data ranging from 0.201 to 0.452 (p<0.001). Internal consistency (α≥0.835) and temporal stability (ICC>0.75) demonstrated high reliability. The YPAS-PT is a valid instrument to assess Physical Activity patterns of Portuguese older adults, allowing record low-intensity activities typical of sedentary behavior, which is often excluded from other Physical Activity assessment tools. The study has concluded that the Portuguese version of YPAS (i.e., YPAS-PT) is a valid instrument to assess PA patterns of Portuguese older adults for research and social interventions.

The purpose of this research was to study the sensitivity of lower limb joint kinematics and kinetics, calculated during different functional tasks (walking, stair descent and stair ascent) in a sample of older adults, to different pose estimation algorithms and models' joint constraints. Three models were developed and optimized differently: in one model, each segment had 6 degrees of freedom (segment optimization, SO), while in the other two, global optimization (GO) was used, with different joint constraints: (1) GO, allowing all joint rotations; (2) GOR, allowing three rotations at the hip, one at the knee (flexion/extension) and two at the ankle (dorsi/plantar flexion and eversion/inversion). The results showed that joint angles are more sensitive to the model's constraints than joint moments and, the more restrictive the model, the higher the differences between models, especially for the frontal and transverse planes (max. RMS difference during gait: 11.7 degrees (64%) vs 0.12 N·m/kg (35.4%). In addition, except for knee abduction/adduction angle, differences between SO and GO models were relatively low. Since GO avoids the nonanatomical dislocations sometimes observed in SO, choosing this model seems to be reasonable for future studies with a similar sample and study design.