Relationship between Psychomotor Abilities vs. the Declared and Actual Physical Activity Levels among Women over 65 Years of Age

Abstract

Introduction Psychomotor performance is a key indicator of functional aging and may be influenced by physical activity. Understanding how different activity levels relate to psychomotor abilities in older women is important for supporting independence in later life.Study Aim To examine the association between reaction time, visuomotor coordination, movement anticipation, and both subjective and objective physical activity levels in women aged 65+.Material and MethodsA total of 30 women from the University of the Third Age in Rzeszów (70.87 ± 6.07 years) participated. Psychomotor abilities were assessed using standardized computerized tasks, while physical activity was measured using a self-report questionnaire and objective monitoring.ResultsHigher engagement in household physical activities was associated with faster simple reaction time. Conversely, a greater number of steps and higher low-intensity activity co-occurred with slower responses in choice-based and anticipation tasks. Increased sedentary time was related to poorer visuomotor reaction speed.ConclusionsAlthough the observed associations were not fully consistent, the findings indicate that maintaining regular physical activity may help preserve psychomotor functioning and functional autonomy in aging women. Further research is needed to clarify the direction and mechanisms of these relationships.