Exercício físico como estratégia de saúde para o desempenho funcional de idosos residentes em comunidade

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Aging is a natural process in life that reduces functional activities, affecting all individuals throughout life, manifesting itself in various dimensions, directly linked to a set of factors that cause people to experience physiological changes. JUSTIFICATION: Given the increasing number of elderly people in the world each year, and the various changes that exist in the aging process, the relevance of building strategies to improve the functional performance of the elderly and, therefore, contributing to strengthening and formulating of public policies to promote active aging. OBJECTIVES: Develop an educational booklet, aimed at physical education professionals, as a way of improving the functional capacity of elderly people living in the community. METHODOLOGY: The present study is cross-sectional, exploratory in nature, with a quantitative approach. The research was developed in the urban perimeters of the city of Caicó/RN, involving elderly people registered in primary health care. The Barthel Index test was used to assess the individual's functional capacity to perform Basic Activities of Daily Living (BADL), and the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) was assessed, which evaluates physical performance through three tests: static balance standing in three positions; strength and power of the lower limbs through the movement of getting up and sitting down from a chair; and walking speed, at a usual pace. RESULTS: The participants presented good results according to the tests applied, being classified as “Independent” and with performance from “Moderate” to “Good”, but with low levels of strength, which could compromise functional performance, intensifying the importance of work on exercises that reverse the progressive effects of aging. CONCLUSION: Exercises aimed at training muscular strength, flexibility and balance, can provide adequate levels to improve functional capacity and motor performance, thus bringing benefits to your health, mitigating the effects of the aging phase. In this context, an educational booklet aimed at physical education professionals as a final product, developed through the assessment of the functional capacity of elderly people, has, in an objective, direct and easy to understand way, alternatives that can promote a more comfortable experience for the elderly population. autonomy and independence during the aging process, which are fundamental items in their lives