Physical Activity Level and Time of Participation in a Water Aerobics Project for the Elderly: Analysis of the Association with Quality of Life, Musculoskeletal and Osteoarticular Disorders, Chronic Pain, and Body Mass Index
The objective was to analyze the association between the physical activity level (PAL) and time of participation in the practice of water aerobics with the variables successful aging (SA), quality of life (QOL), musculoskeletal and osteoarticular disorders (MOD), chronic pain (CP) and body mass index (BMI). The method has a quantitative, descriptive and cross-sectional design. The non-probabilistic sample, for convenience, comprised 101 elderly people over 60 years of age, of both genders, who regularly participate in water aerobics activities in the city of Dois Irmãos, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. The following instruments were used: Multidimensional Pain Assessment Scale, EUROHIS-QOL, IPAQ, SOC and Body Mass Index. Descriptive analyses of frequency, comparison, correlation and multiple linear regression were used. The results showed that the irregularly active group has adequate perception of QOL and longer participation in water aerobics activities associated with lower intensity of pain perception. Likewise, better QOL and control attitudes are associated with lower prevalence of MOD. The longer time of participation in the project is associated with disability, evidencing the group’s weakness in the sense of carrying out more intense activities. However, they are physically active and in sufficiently good health to practice water aerobics, considering their skills and limitations. The active group reveals an association of the PAL with SA and medical healing attitudes, solicitude, emotion and control. These characteristics prove the relation of the time of participation in the pain condition scope, thus revealing the hopelessness in the medical healing and, conversely, express self-sufficiency in the ability to deal with limitations and discomfort of the conditions resulting from a chronic condition. Given this scenario, the sense of participation in physical activities has been gaining strength as one of the principles that aim to promote the improvement of QOL and physical functionality of the elderly population.
