Effects of training on static and dynamic balance in elderly subjects who have had a fall or not

Objective: To evaluate the effects of a physical training program on static and dynamic balance during single and dual task conditions in elderly subjects who have had a fall or not.

Methods: Two groups, comprising a total of 33 elderly subjects, were trained: 16 who had a fall were 69.2 +/- 5.0 years old and 17 who had not had a fall were 67.3 +/- 3.8 years. Methods: All subjects underwent an unipedal test with eyes open and eyes closed, followed by gait assessment during single and dual motor task conditions, before and after a physical training program.

Results: All subjects showed a significant decrease, by six times for subjects who had fallen and four times by those who had not, in the number of touch-downs in the unipedal test with eyes open (P < 0.05), and by 2.5 and 2 times, respectively, with eyes closed (P < 0.05) after the training program. All subjects showed a significant increase in speed (P < 0.05), cadence (P < 0.05) and stride length (P < 0.05) and a significant decrease in the single support time (P < 0.05) and stride time (P < 0.05) in gait assessment during single and dual task conditions after the training program. During the training program, no subjects fell.

Conclusions: The physical training program improved static balance and quality of gait in elderly subjects who had had a fall and those who had not, which could contribute to minimizing and/or retarding the effects of aging and maintaining physical independence.