Effectiveness of a Targeted Exercise Intervention in Reversing Older People's Mild Balance Dysfunction: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

A physical therapist-prescribed home exercise program targeting balance and strength was effective in improving a number of balance and related outcomes in older people with mild balance impairment.

The role of “non-traditional” physical activities in improving balance in older adults: A review

“…Personalised programmes developed by experienced physical therapists have been examined using balance and strength exercises, together with tailored walking programmes, exercises sitting, standing and walking and balance training during daily activities [66,64].…”

“…Ageing leads to physiological changes including reduced muscle strength, joint range of motion, reaction time, and changes in sensory systems, all which have potentially damaging effects on older peoples balance control and have been identified as important risk factors for falls in older people [66]. This balance could be defined as the ability to maintain the projection of the body's centre of mass within limits of the base of support, as in standing or sitting, or in transit to a new base of support, as in walking [66].…”

“…This balance could be defined as the ability to maintain the projection of the body's centre of mass within limits of the base of support, as in standing or sitting, or in transit to a new base of support, as in walking [66].…”

An evaluation of a nurse-led rehabilitation programme (the ProBalance Programme) to improve balance and reduce fall risk of community-dwelling older people: A randomised controlled trial

“…From a rehabilitation nursing perspective, early identification of balance impairments and the delivery of specific balance training are important preventive interventions, since many older adults only seek health professional advice when falls and serious fallrelated injuries happen. Therefore, this type of approach to balance abilities may prevent community-dwelling older people from progressing to more severe impairments or experiencing a serious fall (Yang et al, 2012).…”

Photonic Sensors Based on Flexible Materials with FBGs for Use on Biomedical Applications

“…Universities, high-performance sport centers and health-care institutions have been developing ways to accurately measure and evaluate the way the human body moves for endless purposes. The main objectives for such attention in measuring and evaluating the human body kinematics are improvements of athletic performance (Anderson D. et al, 1994;Yamamoto Y., 2004;von Porat A. et al, 2007) in competitions and historic evaluation studies of patients to determine if the prescribed therapy is being efficient and evaluating the rehabilitation of patients (Yang X. J. et al, 2012;Vancampfort D. Et al., 2012;Cup E. H. et al, 2007;Kun L. et al, 2011) based on the information provided by measuring the limbs' movements. Several systems for body kinematics monitoring have been realized using different approaches such as complex electronic systems including a 2.4 GHz radio-frequency (RF) transceiver (Afonso J.…”