Effects of Nordic Walking-Based Intervention on the Physical Strength, Motor Ability, Lifestyle-Related Disease Indices, and Bone Mineral Density Level: In Comparison with Normal Walking.

Introduction: The effects of Nordic walking have increasingly been reported in recent years. However, the majority of previous studies focused on physical activities or the muscle strength, and they rarely examined the effectiveness of such walking to improve lifestyle-related diseases. Therefore, the present study examined the effects of Nordic walking-based intervention on the physical strength, motor ability, lifestyle-related disease indices, and bone mineral density levels. Materials and Methods: Subjects were 20 middle-aged and elderly females (aged 66.6 ± 7.6), dividing them into 2 groups: normal (n = 11) and Nordic (n = 9) walking. The period of intervention was 6 months, and changes in the physical strength, motor ability, lifestyle-related disease indices, and bone mineral density level during this were compared between the 2 groups. Results and Conclusion: Significant differences were observed in the hand grip strength and step length, supporting the effectiveness of Nordic walking to improve these items. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]