Effect of a Perturbation-Based Balance Training Session on Adaptive Locomotor Response in Older Adults With a History of Falls

Abstract

Aim: To assess the adaptive response of older adults with a history of falls in a single Perturbation-Based Balance Training (PBT) session by examining the margin of stability (MoS) and the number of falls. Methods: Thirty-two older adults with a history of falls underwent a treadmill walking session lasting 20–25 min. During the PBT protocol, participants experienced 24 unexpected perturbations delivered in two ways: acceleration or deceleration of the treadmill belt, with 12 perturbations in each direction. The MoS in the anteroposterior direction was assessed for the first and last perturbations of the session, during the perturbation step (N) and the recovery step (REC), along with the number of falls during the training session. Results: There was no statistically significant difference in MoS between the first and last perturbations (acceleration and deceleration) for steps N and REC. Regarding the number of falls, a significant reduction was found when comparing the first half with the second half of the training session (p = .033). There were 13 falls in the first half and only three in the second half of the PBT session. Conclusion: Older adults with a history of falls exhibited an adaptive response with a reduction in the number of falls during a single session of PBT despite not showing changes in the MoS.