Effect of aquatic therapy exercises with and without the use of Jacuzzi on the lower limb strength and the quality of life in elderly women

Abstract

Introduction: Problems associated with decreased muscle strength and subsequently diminished quality of life, will be increased by aging. Therefore, elderly people will expose to serious injuries. So the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of 8 weeks aquatic therapy exercises with and without Jacuzzi on lower limb strength and quality of life in elderly women. Method: This study was performed with a pretest-post-test randomized-group design. Thirty six women aged 65-74 years old, participated in the study voluntarily. Participants randomly assigned into 3 groups that each of themcontained12 elderly women, including control, aquatic therapy, and aquatic therapy with Jacuzzi groups. The 30 sec chair stand test and Sf-36 Questionnaire were used to measure lower limb strength and Quality of Life, respectively. ANOVA with repeated measures, independent t-test, and paired-t test were used to statistical analysis with SPSS software version 22. Results: After the interventions, strength of the lower limbs had significant increases in the aquatic therapy groups without (p=.000) and with Jacuzzi (p=.000), However there was no significant change in the control group (p=.724). Physical health improved significantly in the aquatic therapy groups without (p=.000) and with Jacuzzi (p=.000), but not in the control group (p=.066). Also mental health increased significantly in the aquatic therapy groups without (p=.000) and with Jacuzzi (p=.000), and decreased significantly in the control group (p=.005). Conclusion: Performing three sessions of aquatic therapy per week for 8 weeks with or without the use of Jacuzzi, have a positive and significant effect on the muscular strength of the lower limbs and the quality of life in the elderly women.