Effects of a six-week structured stretching program on flexibility and body image in older adults aged 65-95

Abstract

This study examined the effects of a structured stretching program on flexibility measurements and body image (BI) in 15 volunteer residents aged 65-95 at Carroll Heights Apartment Complex, La Crosse, Wisconsin. Improvement in flexibility was also correlated to the number of exercise sessions attended. During the pre-testing and post-testing each subject's flexibility was measured in the shoulder, hip and knee joints using a double-armed goniometer. The specific joint movements measured were knee flexion, knee extension, hip flexion, shoulder flexion, shoulder extension, shoulder abduction, shoulder internal rotation, and shoulder external rotation. Body image was determined using the 40-item Body Cathexis Scale developed by Secord and Jourard (1953). Each subject exercised three times a week for one hour. Music, equipment, and game activities were incorporated into the program to maintain compliance. The data was treated using the participant?s independent ?t? test and the Chi-squared transformation (CST). Significance was set at a .05 level. Highly significant differences were shown in the sum of the BI items. Significance was shown in knee extension, hip flexion, shoulder abduction, flexion, and external rotation. Three joint movements showed significance when compared to the attendance group. The CST showed no significant difference in any particular BI variable.