ALTERNATIVE OF LOW IMPACT AEROBIC DANCE EXERCISES FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE ELDERLY`S WALKING ACTIVITY

Abstract

Walking ––elementary physical activity for the improvement of an individual`s motor functions since an early age–– is a standard a person sets up to carry on a walk depending on his morphofunctional evolution, thus involving all the changes the human body goes through in the old age. The present work proposes some low impact aerobic dance exercises as an alternative to enhance walking in the elderly from the grandparents club assisted by medical unit #2 located in center-south Holguin city, municipality of Holguin concerning an age range from 65 to 73 years old, both male and female who have developed degenerative conditions as a result of age which exert a negative effect over their working capacity and quality of life. The paper takes in low impact aerobic dance exercises as a consideration to improve walking in these individuals, taking into account its importance to achieve progressive physical results in the course of the activity. The methods used for the development of the investigation were: theoretical, experimental, empirical, and statistical. The data collected allowed to confirm the existance of a problem by means of a characterization of the influence of the walking activity over the elderly, as well as by these last ignorance of their own physical state. All this limited considerably a better performance of the program of physical exercises that included a set of low impact aerobic dance exercises as an alternative to improve the walk. The results also enhanced some deeper notion on the benefits of the aerobic dance exercises as a varied, ludic, and practical training useful for both health and rehabilitation of the motor functions. When comparing the outcome from the first and final stages, considerable differencies were shown in favor of the stated hypothesis: a gradual improvement of the walking activity as much as working capacities and quality of life.  

Key words. Elderly, Walk, Alternative, Low impact aerobic dance exercises, Quality of life