2005 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Research of effects of 18-months exercise training program on balancing ability against abrupt deceleration in the elderly
Project/Area Number |
15500480
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Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
Section | 一般 |
Research Field |
Applied health science
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Research Institution | Kobe University |
Principal Investigator |
OKADA Shuichi Kobe University, Faculty of Human Development, Professor, 発達科学部, 教授 (70152303)
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Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
TAKADA Yoshihiro Kobe University, Faculty of Human Development, Associate Professor, 発達科学部, 助教授 (90216664)
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Project Period (FY) |
2003 – 2005
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Keywords | elderly / balancing ability / abrupt deceleration / exercise training / fall prevention |
Research Abstract |
The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of 18-months multidimensional exercise training on balancing ability against abrupt deceleration in the elderly. Twenty community-dwelling healthy elderly (≧65 years of age) with no history of one or less falls in the previous 6 month participated. They were classified into exercise group (n=10) and control group (n=10). The 18-month exercise training program was designed to increase strength, flexibility of the lower extremities, dynamic balance and ADL. The control group received no intervention. Changes in the center of foot pressure (CFP) were measured during postural sway following platform deceleration, and the response time and CFP displacement were evaluated. The EMG onset in the tibialis anterior muscle and medial gastrocnemius muscle during abrupt acceleration was measured, and the relative level of co-contraction of antagonistic muscles (CCI) in the lower extremity muscle group was calculated. In addition, motor and sensory abilities were measured. Significant improvement were observed in training group for the response time and CFP displacement immediately after abrupt deceleration in post-training vs pre-training. CCI in training group was significantly lower in post-training than in pre-training. Significant improvement were observed in training group for the strength of planterfiexor and dorsiflexor muscles, and knee extensor muscle, flexibilities of ankle and hip joints, choice reaction time, one leg balancing time, time to sit-to-stand, and speed of walking as fast as possible. These results suggest that this exercise training for 18-month can improve the balancing ability against abrupt deceleration, thereby reducing risk for falls - This may be because improvement of neuro-muscular function.
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