Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2011 Mar-Apr;108(2):128-32.

The effects of a multi-axis balance board intervention program in an elderly population

John Dougherty  1 , Anne Kancel, Cassandra Ramar, Crystal Meacham, Stephen Derrington
Affiliations

The effects of a multi-axis balance board intervention program in an elderly population

John Dougherty et al. Mo Med. 2011 Mar-Apr.

Abstract

Balance is a major issue facing the geriatric population. Nine participants from a local community center for seniors completed a five-week study to assess improvement in balance. Measures of balance, performance times, and scores on the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and the Wii Fit Age (WFA) were recorded before and after the entire intervention. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) with repeated measures was used to assess change in BBS and WFA scores. An analysis of covariance with repeated measures was used to asses the impact of possible contributing factors of age, gender, BMI and total balance board training time over the five-week period. The analysis indicated that use of the Indo Balance Board three times a week for ten minutes can significantly improve balance and potentially decrease the risk of falls, as measured by the BBS. Age was the only factor that significantly influenced balance (p = .006). These improvements are postulated to be due to an increase in subjects' core and lower extremity muscle strength and improved proprioception; a result of balance board usage.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Indo Board Balance Trainer utilizes the IndoFLO® Balance Cushion.
Figures 2 & 3
Figures 2 & 3
Medical Students aid an active elderlyc population to assess balance and balance improvements.
None
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Nordt W, Sachatello SA, Plotkin ES, et al. The effects of single-axis balance board intervention on balance parameters in the eldery. The American Journal of Orthopedics. 1999 Aug;:447–50. - PubMed
    1. Schiller JS, Kramarow EA, Dey AN. Services USDoHaH, editor. Fall Injury Episodes Among Noninstiutionalized Older Adults: United States, 2001–2003. Center for Disease Control and Prevention; 2007. - PubMed
    1. USDoHaHSNIo, editor. Why Population Aging Matters. A global perspective Aging. 2007;7
    1. Becker C, Kron M, Lindemann U, et al. Effectiveness of a multifaceted intervention on falls in nursing home residents. Journal of American Geriatric Society. 2003;51:306–13. - PubMed
    1. Buchner D, Cress ME, de Lateur BJ, et al. The effect of strength and endurance training on gait, balance, fall risk, and health services use in community-living older adults. Journal of Gerontology. 1997;52A(4):M218–M24. - PubMed