• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.276-282
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• 2011

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of a aquatic exercise program on body mass index, body fat percentage and skeletal muscle mass, physical fitness using SFT (senior fitness test) and depression in elderly women. Methods: This study included 59 elderly women. Aquatics exercise program was performed three times per week for 12 weeks using rating of perceived exertion and body mass index, body fat percentage, skeletal muscle mass, physical fitness and depression were measured before and after exercise program. Statistical analysis was performed using t-test. Results: Body mass index (p=.002) and body fat percentage (p=.021) were significantly decreased after aquatic exercise program. Chair stand (p=.009), 2 minute step test (p<.001), back scratch (p<.001), and chair sit and reach (p<.001) were significantly increased after the aquatic exercise program. But, there was no significant differences in the depression. Conclusion: It is suggested the aquatic exercise program may play a significant role in improving body fat and physical fitness in the elderly women. However, as well as aquatic exercise program, sustained encouragement are required to improve physical and psychological traits.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.31-42
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• 2006

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of aquatic exercise program on physical fitness, pain and physiological function in patients with osteoarthritis. Method: The subjects of the study were thirty women(age: forty-seventy five) who have an osteoarthritis. Aquatic exercise program consist of approximately two hours of exercise in water, two days per week, for six weeks. Data were gathered from April 19 2005 to May 27 using a questionnaire and measuring physical fitness and physiological index. Data were analyzed with the SPSS Win 12.0 using frequency and paired t-test for difference between pre-exercise and post-exercise. Results: The results of this study were as follows: There were significantly increased on left shoulder (t=3.848, p=.001) and waist flexibility(t=-5.622, p=.001) scores. There were significantly decreased on pain score(t=5.288. p=.000), body weight(t=5.072, p=.001), systolic B.P(t=18.362, p=.001), diastolic B.P(t=32.558, p=.001), blood sugar(t=1.805, p=.041), total cholesterol(t=2.032, p=.026) scores. Conclusion: From these results, it is concluded that the aquatic exercise program can be effective in increasing physical fitness, physiological function and decreasing pain in patients with osteoarthritis.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.109-118
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• 2005

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of aquatic exercise program on pain, body weight, fatigue, flexibility in elderly women with osteoarthritis. Methods: The subjects of the study were sixty nine elderly women(age over 65years)who have an osteoarthritis. Aquatic exercise program consist of approximately one hour of exercise in water, two days per week, for six weeks. Data were gathered from September 2002 to August 2004 using a questionnaire and measuring body weight, flexibility of shoulder.. Data were analyzed with the SPSS Win 10.0 using frequency and paired t-test for differences between pre-exercise and post-exercise. Results: The results of this study are as follows: pain score, fatigue, body weight of post test were lower than those of pre test(t=5.587, p=0.000 ; t=3.394, p=0.001 ; t=4.664, p=0.000). Right and left flexibility scores of post test were better than those of pretest(Left: t=4.736, p=0.000 ; righrt: t=4.733, p=0.000). Conclusion: From these results, it is concluded that the aquatic exercise program can be effective in increasing physical and psychological function in elderly women.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.539-547
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to investigate the changes of kinetic and kinematic parameters in obstacle gaits after 12 weeks of an aquatic exercise program. Eight female elders walked in four different heights of obstacles(0, 2.5, 5.1, & 15.2cm) on their self-selected speed. The ROM of hip was significantly increased after the aquatic exercise program. Swing and Stance duration were decreased. The step length was significantly increased and the step width was decreased. After the exercise program the clearance between the right foot and the top of obstacle(except 15.2cm) increased and the crossing speed was increased. The braking force, propulsive force, braking impulse, and propulsive impulse were significantly changed after the aquatic exercise program. The 12 weeks of the aquatic exercise program resulted in lower body strength and balance gains in female elders. The improvements were associated with changes in kinetic and kinematic parameters leading to an obstacle-crossing speed and a safer lower-limb control. The aquatic exercise program is suggested as an effective intervention to promote gait ability and prevent fall-related to the injuries.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.257-267
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• 2002

Purpose: Aquatic exercise program is known to have positive effects for health maintenance and improvement in inpatients with arthritis. Aquatic exercise program could be a way to obtain wellness in middle-aged women. However, there have been few studies to evaluate physical function. The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of aquatic exercise on physical health such as body weight, BMI, muscle strength (grip strength, pinch pressure), and flexibility in healthy middle-aged women. Method: The subjects of the study were fifty healthy middle-aged women (40-59 years) who had no experience with exercise. Twenty five subjects were assigned to the experimental group and 25 to the control group. An aquatic exercise program which consisted of approximately one hour of exercise in the water two days per week. for six weeks was given to the experimental group. Data were gathered from October 2000 to April 2001 using a questionnaire and physical function measure tool (pinch pressure, grip strength. weight. centimeter ruler). Data were analyzed with the SPSS win 10.0 using frequency, t-test, $x^2$ test, paired t-test. and ANCOVA. Result: The results of this study are as follows: There were significant differences in body weight, BMI, right, left grip strength and right and left pinch pressure between the two groups. Conclusion: From these results, it is concluded that the aquatic exercise program for healthy middle-aged women can be effective in increasing physical health in these women.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.15-22
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• 2009

Purpose: This study examined the effect of aquatic exercise on the improvement in physical and pulmonary function after stroke. Methods: Fourteen candidates, who had experienced stroke, were enrolled in this study. The program was carried out three times weekly, 1 hour per session and for 10 consecutive weeks. At pre-treatment and post-treatment, the subjects were tested with a 10 m and 100 m timed gait test, a timed get up and go test, a functional reach test, the difference in thoracic girth at inspiration and expiration, and breaths per minute. The forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) were measured using a spirometer. Results: After ten weekends of an aquatic exercise program, the subjects showed a significant difference in all the test results except for the FEV1 (p<0.05). Conclusion: Intervention with this aquatic exercise program can improve the physical and pulmonary function in people who have had a stroke.

• Journal of East-West Nursing Research
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.9-17
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• 2009

Purpose: The study examined the effects of an aquatic exercise program on physical fitness, body composition and quality of life in 25 elderly women. Methods: Subjects participated in an 8-week aquatic exercise program. Sessions ran three times weekly for 60 min. The 60 min consisted of a 10-min warm-up, 40-min exercise and 10-min cool-down. Change of physical fitness, body composition and quality of life were measured and statistically analyzed before and after the aquatic exercise program. Results: Flexibility was significantly increased (p=.000), body fat rate was significantly decreased (p=.041), body mass index was significantly decreased (p=.003), and abdominal fat rate was significantly decreased (p=.025). Conclusions: Aquatic exercise has health benefits for elderly women.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.5-26
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• 2001

Many studies have reported that regular aquatic exercise can lead to improvement of health for patients suffering from arthritis. In spite of these benefits, the adherence rate has shown as few as 26% of patients with arthritis who had completed the aquatic exercise education program. Moreover, when patients with arthritis begin an aquatic exercise, 47% withdraw within the first 6 month. No study has been found that constructs model to explain aquatic exercise adherence of patients with arthritis. The purpose of this study were to identify the factors influencing exercise adherence and to construct and test a structural model to explain aquatic exercise adherence of patients with arthritis. Hypothesized model was constructed on the basis of Bandura's social cognitive theory and literature review. Exogenous latent variables included in this model are group cohesion and barrier, endogenous latent variables are self-efficacy, outcome expectancy and self-evaluation. Empirical data used was collected through individual interviews with the structural questionnaire on 249 patients with arthritis who had completed the 6-week aquatic exercise education program of Korean Rheumatology Health Professionals Academy. The interviews were performed from September 6, 1999 through October 8, 1999. A model tested by the covariance structural analysis with LISREL 8.12a program and by descriptive statistics and correlation with SAS 6.12 program. The results are summarized as follows: First, hypothesized model showed a good fit to the empirical data. In the modified model added one new path showed a much better fit. Second, group cohesion had a direct, indirect positive effects, self-efficacy and self evaluation had a direct positive effects on exercise adherence. Barrier had a direct, indirect negative effects on exercise adherence. Outcome expectancy had a direct negative effect, indirect positive effects through self-evaluation on exercise adherence, but total effects was not significant. Total effect size of the variables were group cohesion, self-efficacy, barrier and self evaluation in order. All variables accounted for 54% of the total variance of exercise adherence in the model. In conclusion, this model confirmed to be proper in explaining of aquatic exercise adherence. Group cohesion, self-efficacy, outcome expectancy, self-evaluation, barrier contributed to the aquatic exercise adherence of patients with arthritis. The results of this study suggested that improvement of group cohesion, self-efficacy and self-evaluation, motivation of outcome expectancy through self-evaluation, and reduction of the barrier should be included in the strategy of nursing intervention for the aquatic exercise adherence of patients with arthritis.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.103-112
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• 2017

PURPOSE: Regular physical activity in the elderly population has significant benefits for health. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of aquatic group exercise on body composition and mental health of the elderly females. METHODS: This study included 40 elderly women. The aquatic group exercise program was performed for an hour a day, 3 times a week for 12 weeks with moderate-intensity level. The body composition, physical fitness mental health instruments were used to measure the outcome variables before and after the program. Data was analyzed with SPSS using descriptive statistics and the t-test. RESULTS: It was found that the 12 week aquatic group exercise program had effects on body mass and BMR were significantly improved after the intervention of this study. In health related physical fitness, flexibility and sense of balance were significantly increased in the participants. In the mental health of the female elderly participants were evaluated in areas such as depression, sense of isolation, interpersonal anxiety, and sociality. They showed significant change in a positive way. CONCLUSION: It is suggested that aquatic group exercise should be activated and encouraged to enhance physical and mental health of elderly women and various types of manuals should be developed according to characteristics of programs to operate this exercise more effectively.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.571-580
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• 2006

Purpose: This study was to compare the effects among Tai-Chi exercise, aquatic Exercise, and a self-help program for knee osteoarthritis patients on symptoms of arthritis, muscle strength, balance, and difficulty of performing activities. Method: There were 50 final subjects50. A non-equivalent pretest-posttest design was used. The collected data was analyzed using SPSS for Window. One-way ANOVA and Scheffe's multiple comparison test were used 8weeks after each program. Result: There were significant differences in joint pain(p=.000), stillness (p=.001), knee extensor peak torque(p=.006), knee flexor(p=.002), and difficult of performing activity (p=.000), but there was no significant difference in balance(p=.648). The Tai-Chi group was significantly different from the self-help group for knee extensor peak torque, knee flexor and stiffness on Scheffe's multiple comparison tests. In addition, the Tai Chi group or aquatic group were significantly different from the self-help group for difficulty of performing activities(p<0.05). Conclusion: There are significant differences in the effects of the nursing intervention among the three groups. The Tai Chi group and aquatic group were significantly different from the self-help group. However, it seems that Tai-chi exercise may be more suitable than aquatic exercise in osteoarthritis exercise programs. Further studies with a longitudinal study are necessary to confirm the longer exercise period.