Arch Phys Med Rehabil., 2007; 88(7): 852-7, PMID: 17601464

High-frequency whole-body vibration improves balancing ability in elderly women

Cheung WH, Mok HW, Qin L, Sze PC, Lee KM, Leung KS
Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of high-frequency whole-body vibration (WBV) on balancing ability in elderly women. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial. Subjects were randomized to either the WBV intervention or the no-treatment control group. SETTING: Community-living elderly women. PARTICIPANTS: Sixty-nine elderly women aged 60 or above without habitual exercise. INTERVENTION: Side alternating WBV at 20Hz with 3 minutes a day and 3 days a week for 3 months in the WBV intervention group. Those in control group remained sedentary with normal daily life for the whole study period. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Limits of stability in terms of reaction time, movement velocity, directional control, endpoint excursion, maximum excursion, and the functional reach test were performed at baseline and endpoint. RESULTS: Significant enhancement of stability was detected in movement velocity (P<.01), maximum point excursion (P<.01), in directional control (P<.05). CONCLUSIONS: WBV was effective in improving the balancing ability in elderly women. This also provides evidence to support our user-friendly WBV treatment protocol of 3 minutes a day for the elderly to maintain their balancing ability and reduce risks of fall.

Product groups: Galileo^® Therapy Systems, Galileo^® Training Devices
Topics: Osteoporosis, Neuronal Diseases, Disease Patterns, Medical Faculties, Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation, Training with Galileo^®, Therapy & Prevention with Galileo^®, Stroke, Back Pain, Geriatrics, Injury Prevention
Keywords: elderly balance
Doc-ID: 346,