Efeitos de um protocolo de intervenção cinesioterapêutica com exergame sobre a força muscular e equilíbrio em mulheres idosas

Abstract

The changes that occur in the neuromuscular system over the years have a negative impact on the autonomy and independence of the elderly. Muscle weakness and balance deficit are a risk for this population, but can be minimized with kinesiotherapy. With constant technological innovation, new physical therapy practices have been incorporated to care for the elderly, as motivation and engagement mechanisms. The use of virtual games is a reality for physiotherapy professionals. These games, called exergames, require body movements to interact with the virtual environment. However, most of the available exergames are commercial. Furthermore, they are not developed from a kinesiotherapy protocol designed specifically for the elderly. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of a kinesiotherapy protocol with exergame on muscle strength and balance in elderly women. The specific objectives were: i. to propose a kinesiotherapeutic protocol for the development of the exergame (Fisio Virtual); ii. verify changes in muscle strength in the upper and lower limbs in the preintervention and after 12 sessions, with a kinesiotherapy protocol with exergame and conventional therapy; iii. verify changes in balance in the pre-intervention and after 12 sessions with a kinesiotherapeutic exercise protocol with exergame and with conventional therapy and iv. evaluate the experience of elderly women with the exergame. This is a randomized, controlled clinical trial, in which 20 participants aged 60 years and over were included. The participants were divided into two groups: Intervention Group (IG), which performed the kinesiotherapy protocol with the use of an exergame, and the Control Group (CG), which performed the same protocol without the use of an exergame. The protocol was characterized by sessions of 1 hour, twice a week, for 06 weeks, totaling 12 sessions. The instruments used in data collection were: Time Up and Go (TUG) test, to assess dynamic balance; analog dynamometry, to assess muscle strength in the upper and lower limbs; and Game Experience Questionnaire – Post Game, to assess the experience of elderly women after using the exergame. In the data analysis, the non-parametric Wilcoxon test was used to compare the measures before and after the intervention. The results showed that both groups showed a statistically significant difference in the improvement of muscle strength and dynamic balance. However, the exergame group showed significant improvement in other muscle groups, such as shoulder flexors (right), shoulder abductors (right and left), elbow extensors (left), hip abductors (right), hip internal rotators (left ), knee extensors (right and left) and dorsiflexors (left). The performance of a kinesiotherapeutic exercise protocol in a conventional way, as well as the performance of a kinesiotherapeutic intervention protocol with the use of an exergame, proved to be effective in improving muscle strength and balance in elderly women after 6 weeks of intervention. The results of the general objective and specific objectives i, ii, iii and iv will be presented in Scientific Production I.