Functional Fitness Exercise

Repeatedly it has been shown that exercise can improve muscle strength, flexibility, aerobic capacity, and balance in older adults. Exercise activities such as walking, swimming, biking, or resistance exercise have not, however, consistently been noted to have a positive impact on functional fitness, which is the ability to perform basic activities of daily living (ADLs), such as bathing, dressing, transferring, and walking. Improved muscle strength may occur, but this does not always translate into improved functional task performance.

In rehabilitation research, there is an underlying assumption that by increasing muscle strength and range of motion the individual will regain the ability to independently perform ADLs. This philosophy assumes that there is a direct linear relationship between impairments and functional outcomes. In addition, the effects of muscle-strengthening ...