Effects of Nordic Walking on Body Composition, Muscle Strength, and Lipid Profile in Elderly Women

SummaryPurposeThe purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Nordic walking on body composition, muscle strength, and lipid profile in elderly women.MethodSixty-seven women were assigned to the Nordic walking group (n = 21), the normal walking group (n = 21), and the control group (n = 25). Nordic walking and normal walking were performed three times a week for 12 weeks. Body weight, body mass index, total body water, skeletal muscle mass, percent body fat, grip strength, sit to stand, arm curl, total cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were measured before and after the program. A Chi-square test, one way analysis of variance, paired t test and repeated-measure two-factor analysis were used with the SAS program for data analysis.ResultsThere was a significant difference in the weight (F=8.07, p<.001), grip strength (F=10.30, p<.001), sit to stand (F=16.84, p<.001), arm curl (F=41.16, p<.001), and total cholesterol (F=5.14, p=.009) measurements between the groups. In addition, arm curl was significantly increased in the Nordic walking group compared to the normal walking group and the control group.ConclusionThe results indicate that Nordic walking was more effective than normal walking in improving upper extremity strength.