Muscle Strength and Endurance after Elastic Band Exercise Training in Older Adults

Abstract

          The purpose of the research was to study the effect of elastic exercise on muscle strength endurance in older adults. The samples were 40 members of the Red Cross Health Station No.4 of Nakhon Ratchasima aged between 60 - 79 years old, randomly selected into the study. The participants were divided into two groups (the experimental and control groups); 20 people in each group. The control group would continue with their normal daily activities without elastic exercise. The experimental group practiced elastic exercise three days a week for 12 weeks. The data was analyzed by using the Mann-Whitney U test. The results of the study revealed that there was no significant difference between the averages of muscle strength endurance before and after the experiment in the control group. For the experimental group, the results showed the higher score of the muscle strength and endurance after experiment (Mean rank = 24.73) than before experiment (Mean rank = 16.28). As seen in the 30 - second arm curls test for this group, it was found that there was a significant difference in the average muscle strength endurance (Mann-Whitney U Test = 115.50; p-value = .021). The comparison between control group and experimental group after experiment found that there was a significant difference in the 30 – second chair stand test with a .05 level of significance (Mann- Whitney U Test = 65; p-value = .000), by the averages of experimental group (Mean rank = 27.25) higher than control group (Mean rank = 13.75). Furthermore, the results showed that there was a significant difference in the 30 - second arm curls test (Mann- Whitney U Test= 59.50; p-value = .000), by the averages of experimental group (Mean rank = 27.53) higher than the control group (Mean rank = 13.48).