Viabilidade e eficácia preliminar de um protocolo de exercício de força por videoconferência em mulheres idosas

Abstract

Population ageing reinforces the need for strategies that support the maintenance of functionality, independence, and quality of life among older adults. In this context, the use of videoconferencing to supervise resistance training represents an alternative capable of expanding access to physical exercise programmes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and preliminary efficacy of a structured resistance training programme supervised by videoconference in community-dwelling older women. This was a single-arm feasibility study conducted over ten weeks, with two sessions per week. Thirty-eight women aged between 60 and 74 years participated. Feasibility was assessed through retention, attendance, adherence, satisfaction, tolerability, and adverse event rates. Preliminary efficacy outcomes included functional performance, balance, gait speed, handgrip strength, depressive symptoms, and quality of life. The programme showed high retention (97.4%), attendance (87.3%), and adherence (87.0%), as well as high satisfaction, good exercise tolerability, and no adverse events. In addition, improvements were observed in lower-limb functional performance, reductions in depressive symptoms, and improvements in the mental health domain of quality of life. It is concluded that the videoconference-supervised resistance training programme was feasible, safe, and well accepted by older women, showing potential to promote physical and psychosocial benefits and to inform the development of larger-scale randomised clinical trials. [resumo fornecido pelo autor]