Psychological and physiological effects of aquatic exercise program among the elderly

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a 3-week daily physical activity program in outdoor spring hot water on joint mobility and mood state in 31 healthy elderly people aged between 60 and 82. The variables comprising mood state were positive engagement revitalization, tranquility and physical exhaustion whereas joint mobility focused on shoulder flexibility. Subjects were allocated to one exercise group (n = 20) and one control group (n = 11). The exercise group participated in a 45-minute-per-day aquatic exercise program in hot water for 20 consecutive days whereas the control group didn't participate in any kind of organized exercise. Subjects were pre- and post-tested for the variables of mood state and shoulder flexibility. The results indicate that the elderly people who participated in the outdoor aquatic exercise program had significant improvements in positive engagement (z = 2.4, p < .05), revitalization (z = 2.8, p < .05), tranquility (z = 2.8, p < .05), physical exhaustion (z = 2.7, p < .05), and shoulder flexibility (t = 9.25, p < .05). No significant changes in these variables were observed in the control group. The results indicate that an aquatic exercise program is an alternative training method for improving psychological state and functional fitness performance in healthy elderly people. Key Words: elderly, aquatic training program, mood state, joint mobility.