Balance, autonomy and functional independence of active and sedentary elderly: a preliminary study

Abstract

Both the body balance (BB), as the functional autonomy (FA) and the level of functional independence (FI) of 10 sedentary elderly (GI) were evaluated and compared to related data in 10 active elderly (GII), all of the health program family in Araxá-MG), after signing the informed consent, were submitted to the evaluation tests of the EC, the AF and the NIF, besides the identification of BMI. Although body overweight and equal NIF between both the EC and AF were significantly higher in GII than in GI, we concluded that the practice of therapeutic exercise promotes functional health in the elderly.

Keywords

• Idoso
• Capacidade funcional
• Exercícios físicos.