Investigation the Risk of Fall, Postural Control and Quality of Gait Before and After the Balance Exercise Program in Sedentary Older Adults

Falling is one of the major leading causes of injury-related hospitalization in older people. Hence, this study investigated the effects of balance training on risk of fall, postural control and quality of gait in elderly men. 30 elderly men over 65 years old participated in present study. Their postural control was evaluated by semi-tandem. Using Berg questionnaire and Tineti gait score, the falling risk and the quality of gait were evaluated respectively. Then the subjects were divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental group underwent an eight weeks (three sessions per week) balance training program. The control group did not participate in any training program. The evaluations were repeated after the treatment sessions. Data were analyzed using a two 2×2 mixed model repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance (RM-MANOVA) and followed up with univariate tests at the p < 0.05 level. Also, Pearson correlation coefficient was also used to determine any possible correlations between the falling risk and dependent variables. Falling risk was significantly correlated with gait of Tinetti (r=0.63, P < 0.001), semi-tandem (r=0.69, P < 0.001) and one-leg balance (r=0.61, P < 0.001). The ability of the older men to perform one leg-open eyes (P < 0.001), one leg-close eyes (P < 0.01), semi-tandem (P < 0.01) were significantly improved after the balance training compared with the control group. Also exercise reduced the falling risk significantly (P=0.002). Although there is no significant difference between pre-test and post-test values in the quality of gait, it was improved in the experimental group (P=0.68). Balance training recommended for improvement postural control and reduction of the risk of falling in the older men.