ABSTRACT

This study was designed to evaluate the effects of therhythmic exercise program on cardiopulmonary function, lifesatisfaction, and lipid metabolism. Twenty-six elderly participantswere divided into the experimental and control groups. Theprogram consisted of 3 sessions/week during 10 weeks, and eachsession included warming up (10 min), main exercise (40 min), andfinishing (10 min). Heart rate, blood pressure and peripheral arterialoxygen saturation were measured to evaluate cardiopulmonaryfunction, while total cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL(high densitylipoprotein)-cholesterol and LDL(low density lipoprotein)-cholesterol for lipid metabolism. The results were that theexperimental group showed significant decrease in heart rate,significant increases in peripheral arterial oxygen saturation andHDL-cholesterol, and significant increase in degree of lifesatisfaction after the program. But there were no significantdifferences of LDL-cholesterol, triglyceride and total cholesterolbetween two groups. In conclusion, the rhythmic exercise programin the elderly showed the improvement of physiologic function andfavorable effects on life satisfaction and lipid metabolism.