USE OF FOAM BALANCE PADS TO IMPROVE LIMITS OF STABILITY IN COMMUNITY-DWELLING OLDER ADULTS

Abstract

Falls are common among older adults. One of the most commonly identified risk factors for falling is impaired balance. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether an exercise program using foam pads was effective in improving balance as measured by the limits of stability (LOS), or the maximum distance a person can lean in a given direction without stepping, losing balance, or reaching for assistance. METHODS: Twenty-nine individuals were divided into a foam-based exercise group (EG) (n = 17; age = 72.5 ± 5.6 yr) or non-exercise control group (CG) (n = 12; age = 75.8 ± 6.2). During the exercise sessions (60 min, 3d·wk−1 for 12 wk), participants stood on foam pads (Thera-Band Stability Trainer) (which challenged the somatosensory system) and were instructed to close their eyes and/or to extend the neck or rotate the head from side to side to manipulate the visual and vestibular systems, respectively. To increase the difficulty of these exercises, participants performed them while standing with the feet in various positions (e.g., feet together, semi-tandem, tandem, and single leg positions), advancing to using more compliant foam (pads were available in two levels of compliancy) and stacking one foam pad on top of another. The LOS assessment (NeuroCom Balance Master), performed before and after the 12-wk program, measured movement velocity (MVL), endpoint excursion (EPE), maximum EPE (MXE), and directional control (DCL) for four directions: Forward, Right, Left and Backward. RESULTS: A repeated measures ANOVA revealed group × time interactions (p < 0.05), indicating that the EG improved on several measures: MVL Forward (37%), Backward (41%), Right (47%), and Left (37%); EPE Backward (33%), Right (22%), and Left (9%); and LOS MXE Backward (20%), Right (10%), and Left (8%). DCL did not change in any direction, indicating that postural control was not compromised to achieve the improvements in the other components of LOS. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that the exercise program was very effective in improving components of balance (LOS: MVL, EPE, MXE), and potentially reducing the risk of falls, in older adults. Supported by Hygenic Corporation.