Influence of an Exercise Program in the Elderly Balance

Influence of a Specific Exercise Program in the Institutionalized Elderly Balance

This study has the objective to determinate the effectiveness of a specific exercise program on balance and functional capacity of the daily activities of institutionalized elderly.

It was a randomized controlled trial with a total of 21 elderly that were randomly distributed into experimental (n = 11) and control groups (n=10). The experimental group performed a specific program exercises during 4 weeks, while the control group wasn't subjected to any intervention. Evaluations were carried out at the beginning and end of the exercise program, for both groups. After the intervention there were no statistically significant differences between groups in total balance and dynamic balance subscale, except static balance subscale.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age ≥ 65 years
• institutionalized elderly
• Both genders
• Mini-Mental ≥19 pontos
• Protocol attendance ≥ 90%

Exclusion Criteria:

• Cardiovascular diseases
• Contraindication to physical exercise
• Medication (anxiolytics, antidepressants)
• Vestibular disorders
• Previous physiotherapy of 6 months to the present study
• Neurological and neuromuscular diseases
• Use of gaiters
• Another type of physical exercise during the study