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The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of a group-based functional and specific balance training program on balance function in healthy older adults. It is commonly considered difficult to improve balance function in healthy older adults. The program included dual-task exercises; physical training exercises and a cognitive task (e.g. reading or reciting a story) performed simultaneously, as well as perturbation exercises, where balance is challenged in unexpected ways.
The investigators hypothesized that following the proposed training, older adults would improve their speed of taking a step in both single and dual task conditions, refine their ability to control balance when standing still and improve their self-reported physical function.
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| Label | Type | Description | Intervention Names |
|---|---|---|---|
| Balance Training Intervention | Experimental | The Balance Training Intervention group received 24 training sessions over three months that included perturbation as well as dual-task exercises. |
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| Reference Group | No Intervention |
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| Name | Type | Description | Arm Group Labels | Other Names |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balance Training Intervention | Other | The intervention group participated in a total of 24 one-hour training sessions over a period of 12 weeks. The training program utilized different size balls as a general tool in a series of progressively more difficult exercises targeting sitting, standing, and gait-related balance control. The program included exercises at five different levels of progressively more challenging balance exercises. Levels 1-4 focused on voluntarily controlled balance exercises, whereas level 5 also included perturbation exercises to trigger automatic compensatory stepping responses. All levels included attention-demanding dual task exercises that required subjects to simultaneously perform motor and cognitive activities. |
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Reaction time of dual task step execution | Subjects stand on a force platform and are asked to execute a step as rapidly as possible following a tactile stimulus on their heel while performing a cognitive attention demanding task (Stroop task - call out colors of words that are names of colors, e.g. the word "BLUE" is presented in yellow letters). | 12 weeks |
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Late Life Functional Disability Index - LLFDI | Self-reported measure of function | 12 weeks |
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Inclusion Criteria:
Exclusion Criteria:
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| Name | Affiliation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Lars IE Oddsson, PhD | NeuroMuscular Research Center, Boston University | Principal Investigator |
| Facility | Status | City | State | ZIP | Country | Contacts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NeuroMuscular Research Center, Boston University | Boston | Massachusetts | 02215 | United States |
| PubMed Identifier | Type | Citation | Retractions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Background | Lars I. E. Oddsson, Patrick Boissy and Itshak Melzer. How to improve gait and balance function in elderly individuals-compliance with principles of training. European Review of Aging and Physical Activity Volume 4, Number 1, 15-23, DOI: 10.1007/s11556-007-0019-9 | ||
| 15271111 | Background | Melzer I, Oddsson LI. The effect of a cognitive task on voluntary step execution in healthy elderly and young individuals. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2004 Aug;52(8):1255-62. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2004.52353.x. | |
| 17535424 |
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| Background |
| Melzer I, Shtilman I, Rosenblatt N, Oddsson LI. Reliability of voluntary step execution behavior under single and dual task conditions. J Neuroeng Rehabil. 2007 May 29;4:16. doi: 10.1186/1743-0003-4-16. |