Effects of twenty-eight months of detraining imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic on the functional fitness of older women experienced in concurrent and functional training()

PURPOSE: To assess the impacts of 28 months of detraining imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic on the functional fitness of older women practicing functional or concurrent training. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A clinical trial was conducted with 16 weeks of intervention and 28 months of detraining imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Ninety-five participants were allocated to functional training (FT - 32), concurrent training (CT - 31), or the control group (CG - 32). All the dependent variables were measured pre-training, post-training, and after the detraining period. The functional fitness was assessed by the put on and take off a t-shirt (PTS - upper limbs), timed up and go (TUG - dynamic balance), five times sit-to-stand (FTSST - lower-limb muscle power), gallon-jug shelf-transfer (GJST - global function), and 10 m walk (W10 m - walking ability) tests. RESULTS: Sixty-three women remained after the detraining period, twenty-four in the FT (66.0 ± 3.8 years), twenty in the CT (65.0 ± 4.3 years), and nineteen in the CG (69.6 ± 5.9 years). Comparing the detraining vs. the pre-intervention, the FT and CT showed a smaller reduction than CG for the PTS (β(FT) = -2.296; β(CT) = -1.914), timed up and go (β(FT) = -0.705; β(CT) = -0.600), five times sit-to-stand (β(FT) = -1.970; β(CT) = -2.970), gallon-jug shelf-transfer (β(FT) = -1.512; β(CT) = -1.003), without differences in the 10 m walk. Also, the concurrent training showed a smaller reduction than the functional training in the FTSST (β = 1.000). CONCLUSION: Even after a long detraining period imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, FT and CT practices were effective strategies for maintaining the functional fitness of older women.