Abstract
Sixteen men (mean age, 63.7±14.2 y) and 32 women (mean age, 62.2±10.4 y) underwent a 12-wk training program of 2-h training sessions twice a week. The program comprised physical exercises and 8 kinds of machine-based training. Participants were divided into the following 2 groups: Group A, in which water from a hot spring (temperature, 42°C) was applied to various parts of the body 50 times before starting exercises; and Group B, in which it was not. Physical fitness tests and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the psoas major muscle was performed. After training, significant improvements were seen in flexibility, 6-min walk distance, and 10-m obstacle walk time. Cross-sectional area of the psoas major increased by 13.2% in men and 11.5% in women. Group A exhibited significant declines from 150 mmHg to 142 mmHg in systolic blood pressure (BP) and from 83 mmHg to 79 mmHg in diastolic BP. Applying hot spring water prior to exercising appears to have hypotensive effects in individuals who tend to have high BP. Sit-and-reach flexibility test results increased from 29.4 cm to 35.3 cm in men (p<0.05) and from 37.1 cm to 41.6 cm in women (p<0.05), suggesting that training improved flexibility. Mean number of sit-ups increased from 8.1 to 9.6 in men (p<0.05) and 7.0 to 8.7 in women (p<0.01). No difference was seen between men and women in mean 10-m walk time, which decreased from 5.0 sec to 4.3 sec in men (p<0.01) and from 4.9 sec to 4.4 sec in women (p<0.01). Mean 10-m obstacle walk time fell from 7.1 sec to 6.2 sec in men (p<0.05) and from 7.4 sec to 6.4 sec in women (p<0.01). Six-min walk distance increased from 580.5 m to 654.6 m in men (p<0.01) and from 590.3 m to 654.6 m in women (p<0.01). Exercising with cognitive motor training machines appears effective for improving quality of life in elderly individuals by strengthening core muscles and improving the quality of motor performance.
