Introduction
Increased life expectancy is associated with biopsychosocial changes
that occurs naturally with advancing age.1 Important
physiological and functional changes are part of the aging process of
humans, resulting in neuromuscular, somatosensory, vestibular and visual
impairment.2-4 The decline in functional performance
and the fear of falling are among the factors which most influence the
quality of life (QOL) of elderly.5,6 This growing
population process aging emerges as a clinical priority, becoming a
challenge for the development of health specific resources and social
assistance policies7, considering old age and
disability are among the main determinants of the use of services public
health.8,9 Elderly people in the community have
considerable functional decline and disabilities, progressively
compromising independence, self-confidence and QOL, and these
commitments are intensified by physical inactivity, which is linked to
important negative results in the general health of
them.10,11 Some studies have shown the use of specific
physical exercise programs present significant improvements in the
strength, balance and functional mobility of elderly, even at more
advanced ages, also the regular practice of these exercises provides
them positive results in the QOL.10,12,13 Although the
evidence shows the benefits of physical exercise, there is still low
adherence to this strategy, and this reduced adherence may be related to
factors such as locomotion difficulties and poor functional mobility or
non-adaptation to the environment where the exercises are performed. It
has been shown in others studies so far, the use programs of supervised
exercise and performed in physical training centers.14A recent study15, indicated elderly people with a
history of falls prefer to participate in exercise programs that can be
performed at home or do not require transportation. Considering that
semi-supervised home physical exercise is a safe, low-cost and
easy-to-implement therapeutic resource, the objective of this study was
to test the hypothesis that regular practice of a progressive physical
exercise program performed at home improves functional mobility and the
quality of life of sedentary elderly people in a community.