Aspectos da condição aeróbica e da flexibilidade em futebolistas profissionais e em participantes de programas de exercício supervisionado

Abstract

It is possible that the functional improvements achieved following a regular routine of physical exercise may not directly translate into a similar improvement of aerobic fitness (AER). Then, the purpose of this dissertation was to identify if a regular exercise routine is able to maintain or attenuate the decline in AER and functional capacity, as well as the difference in improvements in these two variables in the elderly, can be related with variations in flexibility and strength/muscle power. In the first study we obtained oxygen consumption (VO2) and heart rate (HR) at 12 km.h-1, anaerobic threshold and maximum intensities, and athletes Flexitest (FLX). Pre-season data (2005-2011) from the two extreme age terciles (n=54) younger (17-22 years old) and older (27-36 years old) of a group of 162 players from an elite Brazilian soccer club were compared. The effects of aging were also assessed by contrasting VO2, HR and FLX linear regressions versus age-predicted and reference values. The results were similar between the younger and older for VO2max, at 62.7±6.1 vs. 63.2±6.2 mL.(kg.min)-1, (p=0.67), and for FLX, at 43±5.9 vs. 41±6.0, respectively (p=0.11); the younger exhibited higher values for HRmax than the older, at 194±8.1 vs. 189±8.8 b.min-1, (p<0.01). Players did not present an age-predicted decrease in VO2max, whereas HRmax and FLX diminished. For the second study we utilized data from 144 patients (62±12 years old) that performed flexibility, muscle strength/power and maximal cardiopulmonary tests, before and after at least 3 months of supervised exercise program (SEP), were selected. Data were reported as percentage of age-predicted values. After an average of 32 months of SEP, FLX improved in 11.6% (p<0.01) and muscle power 14.7% (p<0.01), while handgrip strength was preserved (p=0.47). There was an inverse relationship between the results of the first evaluation and the aerobic improvement (r=-0.28; p<0.01), which did not occurred with the functional one (r=-0.09; p=0.27). Considering age-predicted values, AER improved slightly less than functional capacity (FUN) (p<0.01), resulting in a mean difference between improvements in FUN and AER (DBIFA) of 4.1%. Only flexibility changes showed a mild association with DBIFA (r=0.24, p<0.01). Therefore, studies of the present dissertation showed: a) by maintaining a regular exercise routine, VO2 does not reduce with age in soccer players between 16 and 36 years, despite a reduction in HRmax. b) regular attendance to a SEP brings about improvements in physical fitness components of patients by promoting the results returns to equivalent levels to healthy individuals of similar age and gender. c) an improvement in FLX contributes for a greater improvement in the FUN than AER