The climacteric and physical exercise: the experience of 6 health centers of the Community of Valencia
Flores Alvarez, J.C.; Chulvi Alabort, V.
Atencion Primaria 20(3): 137-140
1997
ISSN/ISBN: 0212-6567 PMID: 9303673 Document Number: 476103
To determine whether physical exercise improves the functional motor capacity of menopausal women who practise it. Retrospective study. Six Health Centres in the province of Valencia. 226 menopausal women. Assessment of a functional motor capacity test at the start and at 6 and 12 months with two groups of menopausal women, one in a Physical Exercise programme and the other not. Variation of functional capacity over time was measured and the number of women who improved, equalled or diminished their capacity was obtained, both for the group doing physical exercise and the group not doing it. At the six-month assessment, the percentage of women who did physical exercise and improved their functional motor capacity (64.71%) was significantly higher (p = 0.025) than those who didn't exercise and improved this capacity (45.45%). The differences at twelve months were much more significant (p = 0.0079), with percentages of 61.99% and 38.18% respectively. Menopausal women who practise appropriate and controlled physical exercise improve their functional motor capacity more than those who do not.