Functional mobility and balance in community-dwelling elderly submitted to multisensory versus strength exercises

Original Research

(2587) Views  (805) Full article downloads

Authors: Fábio Marcon Alfieri, Marcelo Riberto, Lucila Silveira Gatz, et al

Published Date July 2010 Volume 2010:5 Pages 181 - 185

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/CIA.S10223

Fábio Marcon Alfieri¹, Marcelo Riberto², Lucila Silveira Gatz³, Carla Paschoal Corsi Ribeiro², José Augusto Fernandes Lopes², José Maria Santarém⁴, Linamara Rizzo Battistella<sup>2

1</sup>São Paulo Adventist University Center, São Paulo, Brazil; ²Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Hospital of Clinics of the University of São Paulo, ³Degree in physical education, São Paulo, Brazil; ⁴Coordinator of the Center of Study for Physical Activity Sciences (CECAFI) in the Department of Geriatrics, University of São Paulo

Abstract: It is well documented that aging impairs balance and functional mobility. The objective of this study was to compare the efficacy of multisensory versus strength exercises on these parameters. We performed a simple blinded randomized controlled trial with 46 community-dwelling elderly allocated to strength ([GST], N = 23, 70.2-years-old ± 4.8 years) or multisensory ([GMS], N = 23, 68.8-years-old ± 5.9 years) exercises twice a week for 12 weeks. Subjects were evaluated by blinded raters using the timed ‘up and go’ test (TUG), the Guralnik test battery, and a force platform. By the end of the treatment, the GMS group showed a significant improvement in TUG (9.1 ± 1.9 seconds (s) to 8.0 ± 1.0 s, P = 0.002); Guralnik test battery (10.6 ± 1.2 to 11.3 ± 0.8 P = 0.009); lateromedial (6.1 ± 11.7 cm to 3.1 ± 1.6 cm, P = 0.02) and anteroposterior displacement (4.7 ± 4.2 cm to 3.4 ± 1.0 cm, P = 0.03), which were not observed in the GST group. These results reproduce previous findings in the literature and mean that the stimulus to sensibility results in better achievements for the control of balance and dynamic activities. Multisensory exercises were shown to be more efficacious than strength exercises to improve functional mobility.

Keywords: older adults, balance, functional mobility, exercises

Corrigendum for this paper has been published

Other articles by Professor Fábio Marcon Alfieri

Readers of this article also read: