Introduction:

Suitable knowledge about physical culture sciences by community exercise instructors is important to ensure the safety and quality of programs for the elderly.

Objective:

Analyze the academic background of instructors and the frequency of application of two safety parameters in the implementation of physical exercise programs for the elderly.

Methods:

An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted of 155 instructors of groups of elderly people in Bucaramanga, Colombia. An ad hoc questionnaire was used to collect the information. The variables were analyzed as measures of central tendency or frequencies, depending on their nature. Fisher's exact test was used to explore the association between the variables of interest. The significance level was p ≤ 0.05.

Results:

Of the instructors surveyed, 18.22% had a degree in Physical Exercise Sciences. A higher frequency was found of the application of the selection method based on aptitude to conduct physical activity, with statistically significant differences between graduated subjects (p = 0.032) and those who had received formal training in physical exercise for the elderly (p = 0.002). Medical assessment was more often requested by graduated subjects (p=0.036).

Conclusions:

Most instructors reported not to apply the safety parameters for implementation of a physical exercise program. However, application was more frequent by graduated instructors and those with formal training in physical exercise for the elderly.

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