scholarly journals Sensory-Specific Balance Training in Older Adults: Effect on Proprioceptive Reintegration and Cognitive Demands

2007 ◽  
Vol 87 (10) ◽  
pp. 1274-1283 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelly P Westlake ◽  
Elsie G Culham
Keyword(s):  
Balance Training ◽  
Exercise Group ◽  
Falls Prevention ◽  
Prevention Education ◽  
Balance Confidence ◽  
Education Group ◽  
Balance Exercise ◽  
Scale Scores ◽  
Abc Scale

Background and Purpose Age-related changes in the ability to adjust to alterations in sensory information contribute to impaired postural stability. The purpose of this randomized controlled trial was to investigate the effect of sensory-specific balance training on proprioceptive reintegration. Subjects The subjects of this study were 36 older participants who were healthy. Methods Participants were randomly assigned to a balance exercise group (n=17) or a falls prevention education group (n=19). The primary outcome measure was the center-of-pressure (COP) velocity change score. This score represented the difference between COP velocity over 45 seconds of quiet standing and each of six 5-second intervals following proprioceptive perturbation through vibration with or without a secondary cognitive task. Clinical outcome measures included the Fullerton Advanced Balance (FAB) Scale and the Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) Scale. Assessments were conducted at baseline, postintervention, and at an 8-week follow-up. Results Following the exercise intervention, there was less destabilization within the first 5 seconds following vibration with or without a secondary task than there was at baseline or in the falls prevention education group. These training effects were not maintained at the 8-week follow-up. Postintervention improvements also were seen on the FAB Scale and were maintained at follow-up. No changes in ABC Scale scores were identified in the balance exercise group, but ABC Scale scores indicated reduced balance confidence in the falls prevention education group postintervention. Discussion and Conclusion The results of this study support short-term enhanced postural responses to proprioceptive reintegration following a sensory-specific balance exercise program.

scholarly journals Sensory-Specific Balance Training in Older Adults: Effect on Position, Movement, and Velocity Sense at the Ankle

2007 ◽  
Vol 87 (5) ◽  
pp. 560-568 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelly P Westlake ◽  
Yushiao Wu ◽  
Elsie G Culham
Keyword(s):  
Exercise Intervention ◽  
Position Sense ◽  
Joint Position Sense ◽  
Exercise Group ◽  
Passive Movement ◽  
Falls Prevention ◽  
Prevention Education ◽  
Education Group ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Balance Exercise

Background and Purpose Age-related changes in proprioception contribute to impairments in postural control and increased fall risk in older adults. The purpose of this randomized controlled trial was to examine the effects of balance exercises on proprioception. Subjects The participants were 36 older people and 24 younger people who were healthy. Methods Older participants were randomly assigned to a balance exercise group (n=17) or a falls prevention education group (n=19). Baseline, postintervention, and 8-week follow-up measurements of 3 proprioceptive measures (threshold to perception of passive movement, passive joint position sense, and velocity discrimination) were obtained at the ankle. For comparative purposes, younger participants underwent a one-time assessment of the 3 proprioceptive measures. Results Postintervention improvements in velocity discrimination were found in the balance exercise group when compared with values at baseline and in the falls prevention education group. Age-related differences found at baseline were reduced in the balance exercise group after intervention. Improvements were not maintained at the 8-week follow-up. Threshold to perception of passive movement and passive joint position sense did not change as a function of the exercise intervention. Discussion and Conclusion The results suggest that short-term improvements in velocity sense, but not movement and position sense, may be achieved following a balance exercise intervention.

scholarly journals Community Delivery of a Comprehensive Fall-Prevention Program in People with Multiple Sclerosis

2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cinda L. Hugos ◽  
Debra Frankel ◽  
Sara A. Tompkins ◽  
Michelle Cameron
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Fall Prevention ◽  
Berg Balance Scale ◽  
Timed Up And Go ◽  
Balance Confidence ◽  
Balance Scale ◽  
Scale Scores ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Confidence Scale

Background: People with multiple sclerosis (MS) fall frequently. In 2011, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society launched a multifactorial fall-prevention group exercise and education program, Free From Falls (FFF), to prevent falls in MS. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of participation in the FFF program on balance, mobility, and falls in people with MS. Methods: This was a retrospective evaluation of assessments from community delivery of FFF. Changes in Activities-specific Balance Confidence scale scores, Berg Balance Scale scores, 8-foot Timed Up and Go performance, and falls were assessed. Results: A total of 134 participants completed the measures at the first and last FFF sessions, and 109 completed a 6-month follow-up assessment. Group mean scores on the Activities-specific Balance Confidence scale (F1,66 = 17.14, P < .05, η2 = 0.21), Berg Balance Scale (F1,68 = 23.39, P < .05, η2 = 0.26), and 8-foot Timed Up and Go (F1,79 = 4.83, P < .05, η2 = 0.06) all improved significantly from the first to the last session. At the 6-month follow-up, fewer falls were reported (χ2 [4, N = 239] = 10.56, P < .05, Phi = 0.21). Conclusions: These observational data suggest that the FFF group education and exercise program improves balance confidence, balance performance, and functional mobility and reduces falls in people with MS.

scholarly journals Balance in Relation to Walking Deterioration in Adults With Spastic Bilateral Cerebral Palsy

2012 ◽  
Vol 92 (2) ◽  
pp. 279-288 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arve Opheim ◽  
Reidun Jahnsen ◽  
Elisabeth Olsson ◽  
Johan Kvalvik Stanghelle
Keyword(s):  
Cerebral Palsy ◽  
Fear Of Falling ◽  
Reliability And Validity ◽  
Balance Function ◽  
Maximum Score ◽  
Balance Confidence ◽  
Postural Responses ◽  
Scale Scores ◽  
Balance Ability ◽  
Abc Scale

Background Balance function is central in walking, and impaired balance function may be related to walking deterioration in adults with spastic bilateral cerebral palsy (CP). Objectives The purposes of this study were: (1) to compare balance confidence, fear of falling, and balance ability in adults with spastic bilateral CP, with and without self-reported walking deterioration; (2) to characterize balance confidence, fear of falling, and balance ability across all participants; and (3) to examine the relationship between balance confidence and balance ability across all participants. Design A case-control design was used. Methods Sixteen adults from a 7-year follow-up study who had spastic bilateral CP and were under 40 years of age in the 2006 survey participated. Eight participants reported walking deterioration (cases), and 8 participants did not report walking deterioration (controls). Outcome variables were: the Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) Scale, the Falls Efficacy Scale–International (FES-I), and the Balance Evaluation Systems Test (BESTest). Results No differences in any of the outcome variables were found between the cases and the controls. Across all participants, the ABC Scale and FES-I scores were 62% and 24 points, respectively. Reduced ABC Scale scores and increased FES-I scores were found when using escalators, walking in crowds, and walking on slippery surfaces. The BESTest subscale scores were 60% to 79% of the maximum score, but only 31% and 42% of the maximum score in postural responses and anticipatory adjustments, respectively. Balance confidence correlated positively with postural responses, sensory orientation, stability in gait, and BESTest total score. Limitations The lack of reliability and validity tests for the outcome variables in this study population and the small number of participants were limitations of the study. Conclusions Self-reported walking deterioration in this group could not be explained by differences in balance confidence, fear of falling, or balance ability. Across all participants, most balance problems seemed related to reduced postural responses and anticipatory adjustments.

Exploring Training Methodologies Towards the Improvement of Elderly Balance

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lara A. Thompson ◽  
Joao Augusto Renno Brusamolin ◽  
Jelani Guise ◽  
Mehdi Badache ◽  
Sandy Collado Estrada ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Balance Training ◽  
Positive Finding ◽  
Balance Confidence ◽  
Healthy Elderly ◽  
Senior Population ◽  
Eyes Open ◽  
Training Methodologies ◽  
Abc Scale ◽  
Base Of Support ◽  
Balance Error

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of utilizing sensory (i.e., vision and touch), as well as static and dynamic base of support training on the balance of senior participants aged 60–80 years old. For each participant, there were several weeks of training, two sessions per week and assessments every two weeks. Training included walking and standing exercises on a hard surface, compliant and stiffer foam walking and standing balance training, and navigating obstacles. Within each session, to modify vision, all training included eyes-open and closed. Further, there were increases in training difficulty as the sessions progressed. It was observed that training over several weeks resulted in increases in stability, as observed by the decreases in Balance Error Scoring System (BESS) assessment results. However, increases in balance confidence, as observed by the Activities-Specific Balance Confidence (ABC) scale were less certain in this healthy elderly (or senior) population. It is an interesting and positive finding that, in doing relatively simple, but targeted exercises and training, senior individuals can have moderate improvements in their balance and, perhaps ultimately, reduce their fall-risk.

scholarly journals Effects on Balance and Walking with the CoDuSe Balance Exercise Program in People with Multiple Sclerosis: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anette Forsberg ◽  
Lena von Koch ◽  
Ylva Nilsagård
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Postural Sway ◽  
Dynamic Balance ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Exercise Program ◽  
Core Stability ◽  
Balance Confidence ◽  
Balance Exercise ◽  
Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Abc Scale

Background. Balance and walking impairments are frequent in people with multiple sclerosis (MS).Objective. The aim was to investigate the effects of a group-based balance exercise program targeting core stability, dual tasking, and sensory strategies (CoDuSe) on balance, postural sway, walking, perceived walking limitations, and balance confidence.Design. A single-blinded randomized multicenter trial. No intervention was given to controls.Participants. People with MS able to walk 100 meters but unable to maintain tandem stance ≥30 seconds. Eighty-seven participants were randomized to intervention or control.Intervention. The 60-minute CoDuSe group program, twice weekly for seven weeks, supervised by physical therapists.Measurements. Primary outcome was dynamic balance (Berg Balance Scale (BBS)). Secondary outcomes were postural sway, walking (Timed-Up and Go test; Functional Gait Assessment (FGA)), MS Walking Scale, and Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) Scale. Assessments were performed before and after (week 8) the intervention.Results. 73 participants fulfilled the study. There were significant differences between the intervention and the control groups in change in the BBS and in the secondary measures: postural sway with eyes open, FGA, MS Walking Scale, and ABC scale in favor of the intervention.Conclusions. The seven-week CoDuSe program improved dynamic balance more than no intervention.

scholarly journals The Effect of Aquatic and Non-aquatic Balance Training on the Fall Risk of Patients With Grade 2 and 3 Knee Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Clinical Trial

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 343-350
Author(s):  
Farzaneh Hajmohammadi ◽  
◽  
Mohammad Hosseinifar ◽  
Asghar Akbari ◽  
Fatemeh Ghiasi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Knee Osteoarthritis ◽  
Fall Risk ◽  
Balance Training ◽  
Exercise Program ◽  
Training Group ◽  
Exercise Group ◽  
Risk Scores ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Knee Oa ◽  
Balance Exercise

Objectives: To compare the efficacy of balance exercises in the aquatic and Non-aquatic environments compared with control in patients with grade 2 or 3 knee Osteoarthritis (OA). Methods: For this single-blind, randomized control trial study, 43 women with mild to moderate knee OA were recruited through a simple non-probability sampling method. They were randomly assigned to the aquatic balance exercise group (n=15), Non-aquatic balance exercise group (n=15), and a control group (n=13). The intervention programs comprised aquatic and Non-aquatic balance training. Fall risk, the primary outcome, was measured by the Biodex balance system before and after the intervention. One-way ANOVA and paired sample t-test were used for analyzing data. Results: After 4 weeks training, the Mean±SD fall risk score significantly decreased from 3.49±1.14 to 2.59±1.22 (P<0.001) in the aquatic balance training group, from 3.21±0.62 to 2.19±0.62 (P<0.001) in the Non-aquatic balance training group, and from 3.77±1.13 to 3.17±1.22 (P<0.001) in the control group. Regarding between-group comparisons, we found significant differences between the Non-aquatic balance training group and the control group (P=0.03). Discussion: Despite the environment, the balance exercise program significantly improved fall risk scores among patients with grade 2 or 3 knee osteoarthritis.

scholarly journals Investigating Relationships between Balance Confidence and Balance Ability in Older Adults

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Lara A. Thompson ◽  
Mehdi Badache ◽  
Joao Augusto Renno Brusamolin ◽  
Marzieh Savadkoohi ◽  
Jelani Guise ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Balance Training ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Balance Performance ◽  
Balance Confidence ◽  
Stroke Group ◽  
Balance Ability ◽  
Performance Ability ◽  
Abc Scale ◽  
Healthy Participants

Increasing balance confidence in older individuals is important towards improving their quality of life and reducing activity avoidance. Here, we investigated if balance confidence (perceived ability) and balance performance (ability) in older adults were related to one another and would improve after balance training. The relationship of balance confidence in conjunction with balance performance for varied conditions (such as limiting vision, modifying somatosensory cues, and also base of support) was explored. We sought to determine if balance confidence and ability, as well as their relationship, could change after several weeks of training. Twenty-seven healthy participants were trained for several weeks during standing and walking exercises. In addition, seven participants with a higher risk of imbalance leading to falls (survivors of stroke) were also trained. Prior to and after training, balance ability and confidence were assessed via the Balance Error Scoring System (BESS) and Activities Specific Balance Confidence (ABC) Scale, respectively. Both groups showed improvements in balance abilities (i.e., BESS errors significantly decreased after training). Balance confidence was significantly higher in the healthy group than in the stroke group; however, ABC results reflected that balance confidence did not significantly increase after training for each. The correlations between balance ability and balance confidence were explored. Encouragingly, healthy participants displayed a negative correlation between BESS errors and ABC (i.e., enhancements in balance confidence (increases in ABC Scale results) were related to improvements in balance ability (decreases in BESS errors)). For the stroke participants, despite improvements in balance ability, our results showed that there was no relation to balance confidence (i.e., no correlation between BESS errors and ABC) in this group.

scholarly journals Effects of Perturbation-Based Balance Training in Subacute Persons With Stroke: A Randomized Controlled Trial

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 213-224 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shirley Handelzalts ◽  
Michal Kenner-Furman ◽  
Ganit Gray ◽  
Nachum Soroker ◽  
Guy Shani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Outcome Measures ◽  
Balance Training ◽  
Treadmill Walking ◽  
Secondary Outcome ◽  
Walk Test ◽  
Balance Confidence ◽  
Abc Scale ◽  
Reactive Balance ◽  
Weight Shifting ◽  
Multiple Step

Background: Reactive balance responses are critical for fall prevention. Perturbation-based balance training (PBBT) has shown a positive effect in reducing the risk of falls among older adults and persons with Parkinson’s disease. Objective: To explore the effect of a short-term PBBT on reactive balance responses, performance-based measures of balance and gait and balance confidence. Methods: Thirty-four moderate-high functioning, subacute persons with stroke (PwS) (lower extremity Fugl-Meyer score 29.2 ± 4.3; Berg Balance Scale [BBS] score 43.8 ± 9.5, 42.0 ± 18.7 days after stroke onset) hospitalized in a rehabilitation setting were randomly allocated to PBBT (n = 18) and weight shifting and gait training (WS&GT) (n = 16). Both groups received 12 training sessions, 30 minutes each, for a period of 2.5 weeks. PBBT included unexpected balance perturbations during standing and treadmill walking, WS&GT included weight shifting in standing and treadmill walking without perturbations. The main outcome measures, that is, multiple step-threshold and fall-threshold were examined at baseline, immediately postintervention, and about 5 weeks postintervention. The secondary outcome measures, that is, BBS, 6-minute walk test (6MWT), 10-meter walk test (10MWT), and Activity-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) scale were examined at baseline and immediately postintervention. Results: Compared with the WS&GT group, immediately postintervention participants in the PBBT group showed higher multiple-step thresholds in response to forward and backward surface translations (effect size [ES] = 1.07 and ES = 1.10, respectively) and moderate ES in the ABC scale (ES = 0.74). No significant differences were found in fall-threshold, BBS, 6MWT, and 10MWT between the groups. Conclusions: Inclusion of perturbation training during rehabilitation of PwS improved reactive balance and balance confidence.

Core Muscle Strengthening’s Improvement of Balance Performance in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Pilot Study

2014 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole Kahle ◽  
Michael A. Tevald
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Balance Training ◽  
Exercise Program ◽  
Exercise Group ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Home Exercise ◽  
Balance Performance ◽  
Balance Test ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults

To determine the effect of core muscle strengthening on balance in community-dwelling older adults, 24 healthy men and women between 65 and 85 years old were randomized to either exercise (EX;n= 12) or control (CON;n= 12) groups. The exercise group performed a core strengthening home exercise program thrice weekly for 6 wk. Core muscle (curl-up test), functional reach (FR) and Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) were assessed at baseline and follow-up. There were no group differences at baseline. At follow-up, EX exhibited significantly greater improvements in curl-up (Cohen’sd= 4.4), FR (1.3), and SEBT (>1.9 for all directions) than CON. The change in curl-up was significantly correlated with the change in FR (r= .44,p= .03) and SEBT (r> .61,p≤ .002). These results suggest that core strengthening should be part of a comprehensive balance-training program for older adults.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document