Boxing, Taekwondo and Elastic Band Training on Body Composition and Physical Performance in Older Women

Overview

The objective of this clinical trial is to compare the effect of three physical interventions (Taekwondo, Boxing, and Elastic Band Training) on body composition and physical performance in older Chilean women. The main questions this study aims to answer are: How do Taekwondo, Boxing, and Elastic Band Training affect body composition (body fat percentage and fat-free mass)? What improvements are observed in physical performance (grip strength, balance, flexibility, and cardiorespiratory fitness) with each intervention? Researchers will compare the effects of these three interventions to determine which offers the greatest benefits for body composition and physical performance. Participants will: Perform Taekwondo, Boxing, or Elastic Band Training twice a week for 8 weeks. Be assessed for morphological and physical performance variables before and after the intervention period. Participate in supervised training sessions at local sports centers. This study aims to provide solid evidence on the efficacy of different physical interventions in improving the physical health of older women, helping to define more effective and accessible training strategies.

Study Design In this study there is a randomized controlled trial, repeated measures, double-blinded participants and evaluators, and a quantitative approach for three parallel groups: BOX group, TKD group and EBT group. The randomization process was performed using the research randomizer website (https://www.randomizer.org, accessed March 1, 2023). CONSORT standards were used as the methodology. In addition, the protocol has been registered in ClinicalTrials.gov in the United States (code: ). The duration of the interventions was 8 weeks (16 sessions), including two weekly sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays of sixty minutes each. Morphological variables (BMI, body fat percentage and fat-free mass), and functional performance, MIHS dominant and non-dominant hand, 30-second chair stand, TUG, sit and reach, back scratch and 2-minute walk were evaluated. Each measurement was performed at the same place (sports center and social headquarters) and in the afternoon, from 14:00 to 16:00, with the factors under control, including temperature, and the evaluators performing the pre- and post-measurements. With no musculoskeletal and/or cardiorespiratory injuries during the intervention, the older women showed no pain before the evaluations or during the training sessions. Participants Sixty-three older women participated in the intervention at first. The optimal number of participants per group, according to the sample size calculation, was 10. Statistical power was calculated with the program GPower (version 3.1.9.6, Franz Faul, UniversiätKiel, Kiel, Germany). According to a previous study, the minimum difference necessary for significant clinical relevance was determined to be a mean difference of 0.50 s in the TUG, with a standarddeviation of 0.93 s, taking into account an alpha level of 0.05 with a power of 95% and a predicted loss of 10%. The inclusion requirements were: (i) women between 60 and 65 years of age; (ii) who demonstrated the ability to understand and execute instructions in a contextualized manner through basic directives; (iii) who were independent, according to a score of at least 43 points on the Chilean Ministry of Health's Preventive Medicine Examination for Older Adults; and (iv) who met the requirement of attendance at the intervention of at least 85%. In relation to the exclusion criteria, the following were taken into account (i) having a disability; (ii) undergoing physical rehabilitation or having musculoskeletal injuries that prevent them from performing their usual physical activities; and (iii) being permanently or temporarily unable to participate in physical activities. As for exclusion criteria, the following were taken into account: (i) suffering from a disability of any type; (ii) suffering from a musculoskeletal injury or receiving physical rehabilitation therapy that prevents them from performing their usual physical activity; and (iii) being unable to perform physical activity, either temporarily or permanently. To be included in the final analysis, participants who met the inclusion criteria also had to complete at least 85% of the training sessions and attend all evaluation sessions. The inclusion criteria are summarized in Figure 1.