Journal of Research in Rehabilitation Sciences
Contribution of the Sensory Systems to Static Balance following Exercise Training in Elderly Women (Part One: Aquatic Exercise): Quasi-experimental Study
Document Type : Original Articles
Authors
1 PhD Candidate of Motor Behavior, Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences and Technology in Sport, School of Sport Sciences and Health, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
2 PhD in Behavioral Behavior, Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences and Technology in Sport, School of Sport Sciences and Health, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
3 PhD in Sports Biomechanics, Sports Medicine Research Center, Najafabad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Najafabad, Iran
4 PhD in Physiotherapy, Musculoskeletal Research Center, Rehabilitation Research Institute and Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
5 PhD in Human Movement Sciences, Federal University of Santa Maria, the Center of Physical Education and Sports, Santa Maria, Brazil
Abstract
Introduction: Physiological changes induced by aging decreases balance and increases the risk of falls more specificaaly among women. The aim of present study was to investigate the effects of aquatic exercises on the engagement of sensory components of system that controls static balance in elderly women.
Materials and Methods: In this applied, semi-experimental study, with pre-test-post-test design and a control group, symptom-free elderly women of 60 to 70 years old were randomly assigned into aquatic, hippotherapy and control group (10 people each). The participation of sensory components of postural control system (visual, vestibular, somatosensory) in static balance was measured before and after 16 training sessions using the sensory organization test by the Synapsis® posturography system. The aquatic exercise group and the hippotherapy group participated in the relevant exercise protocol for 8 weeks, 2 sessions per week (50 minutes) and the control group continued their normal life. The data was analyzed using the paired T-test for intra-group comparisons and independent T-test to examine the between-group differences.
Results: The results showed that the aquatic exercise group had better performance in the post-test compared to the control group. Aquatic training significantly improved the vestibular system function in anterior-posterior direction, somatosensory system, static balance in anterior-posterior and medial-lateral directions in elderly women (P = 0.001 for all).
Conclusion: In general, aquatic exercise may be recommended as an alternative strategy in a safer environment for improving the participation of sensory components of the systems that controls static balance in elderly females.
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