Training Improves Balance Control

Boston University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Accidental Falls

Treatments: Other: Balance Training Intervention

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01547988

RRF 2001-056

Details and patient eligibility

About

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.

Enrollment: 66 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 65+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• 65 years or older
• Independently ambulatory (cane acceptable; not walker)
• Score better than 45 on the Berg Balance Scale
• Higher than 24 Mini-Mental Score

Exclusion criteria

• Severe focal muscle weakness or visual impairment
• Known neurological disorders (including stroke, Parkinson disease)
• Metastatic cancer
• Use of medication that impairs balance or strength

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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66 participants in 2 patient groups

Balance Training Intervention

Experimental group

Description:

The Balance Training Intervention group received 24 training sessions over three months that included perturbation as well as dual-task exercises.

Treatment:

Other: Balance Training Intervention

Reference Group

No Intervention group

Treatment:

Other: Balance Training Intervention