Efectos de un programa de ejercicios sobre la fuerza, el equilibrio y la resistencia en la población de edad avanzada: un estudio piloto.
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https://doi.org/10.17979/sportis.2026.12.2.13047Resumen
El envejecimiento de la población conduce a un deterioro progresivo de las capacidades funcionales, lo que tiene un impacto significativo en la independencia y la calidad de vida de las personas mayores. La actividad física estructurada es una herramienta eficaz para contrarrestar estos procesos; sin embargo, aún hay pocas pruebas sobre las posibles diferencias en la respuesta al ejercicio entre hombres y mujeres mayores. El objetivo de este estudio piloto es evaluar los efectos de un programa de actividad física estructurada sobre la fuerza muscular, la resistencia cardiorrespiratoria y el equilibrio en la población de edad avanzada, analizando las posibles diferencias entre sexos. Veinticinco sujetos mayores funcionalmente independientes participaron en el estudio. El protocolo experimental, con una duración de seis meses y sesiones dos veces por semana, incluyó ejercicios progresivos de fuerza, resistencia y equilibrio. Las capacidades funcionales se evaluaron antes y después de la intervención mediante pruebas validadas. El análisis estadístico se realizó mediante una prueba t pareada, con un nivel de significación establecido en p < 0,05. Tanto los hombres como las mujeres mostraron mejoras significativas en todas las variables analizadas. En particular, se observaron aumentos en la fuerza de las extremidades superiores e inferiores, la resistencia cardiorrespiratoria y mejoras en el equilibrio estático y dinámico, con una reducción en los tiempos de ejecución y el número de errores. Los hombres obtuvieron mejores resultados en las pruebas de fuerza y las mujeres en las pruebas de equilibrio. Los resultados confirman la eficacia de un programa de actividad física estructurado para mejorar las capacidades físicas funcionales de las personas mayores, independientemente de su sexo. La intervención demuestra ser una herramienta válida para promover el envejecimiento activo y la autonomía funcional, lo que pone de relieve la importancia de los programas de ejercicio adaptados y sensibles a las diferencias de género.
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