Objective:

To determine the functional physical condition of the elderly in Daycare Centers, Life Centers and Comprehensive Promotion Protection Centers in the urban area of the Municipality of Manizales.

Materials and methods:

A cross sectional, descriptive, comparative study was conducted that evaluated functional physical condition variables: muscle strength, flexibility, anaerobic endurance, balance, agility and body mass index. Univariate and bivariate data analysis was performed by using SPSS® statistics software, version 22, licensed by Universidad Autónoma de Manizales.

Results:

The mean age for males was 74.13 ± 8.18 and 71.2 ± 7.02 for females. A 78.7% of women practice physical activity 3 to 4 times a week and only 21.3% of men do it. There is statistically significant association between aerobic resistance and physical activity frequency in day centers, with void magnitude of association strength of only 0.02. When applying the chi-square, a statistically significant association between gender and strength of LMW: 0.103, and of LMSS, with void association strength, 0.124 is found.

Conclusions:

The functional physical condition in participants of daycare centers and life centers showed greater involvement of upper limbs flexibility. In promotion and protection centers results exhibited involvement of upper and lower limbs flexibility, lower limb muscle strength, aerobic endurance, balance, and agility. The body mass index in promotion and protection centers tended to be classified as underweight, in day centers participants showed normal weight, followed by overweight and obesity, and in life centers there was similar distribution of normal weight and overweight which might be related to their habits, lifestyle and health conditions as well.

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