THE EFFECTS OF COMBINING COGNITIVE AND BALANCE TRAINING ON BALANCE AND FALL RISK IN THE ELDERLY POPULATION: A PILOT STUDY

Authors

Richard Dickens, Bob Jones UniversityFollow
McKaela Rowland, Bob Jones UniversityFollow
Jarrett Towe, Bob Jones UniversityFollow
Joey Brazovan, Bob Jones UniversityFollow
Elizabeth Moffitt, Bob Jones UniversityFollow
Vivian Smith, Bob Jones UniversityFollow
Caroline Hartzler, Bob Jones UniversityFollow
Abby Woo, Bob Jones UniversityFollow
Abbie Dwire, Bob Jones UniversityFollow
Hannah Benge, Bob Jones UniversityFollow
Stephen Chen, Bob Jones UniversityFollow

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Falls are a permeating and predominant cause of injury among the elderly population. Fall-related accidents such as fractures, traumatic brain injuries, and even death pose a significant safety hazard to aging individuals. Balance training programs have served as the pinnacle of fall prevention due to substantial evidence supporting their ability to improve strength and stability. Recent studies have shown, however, that cognitive exercises can serve as an effective additive to traditional balance training protocol. The purpose of this study is to determine whether combined balance and cognitive training is more effective in improving balance and mobility than traditional methods. METHODS: 30 individuals ages 60 and above with no history of musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, or neurological conditions will be recruited. Participants should be able to walk without the use of an assistive device. They will be randomly divided into 3 groups. The first group will alternate performing dual-task (cognitive+balance) training and cognitive exercises on opposing days of the week. The second group’s training sessions will only consist of balance exercises and the third group will serve as the control. At baseline, mobility will be assessed with the TUG test while postural stability and sway index will be measured using the Biodex Balance System. In addition, confidence regarding balance and falls will be measured with the Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I). After baseline data collection, the participants will then follow the 8-week training protocol of their assigned group. At the conclusion of the 8-week program, baseline measurements will be retested and evaluated for significant differences using the repeated measures ANOVA. ANTICIPATED RESULTS: It is hypothesized that combined balance and cognitive training will exhibit greater improvements in static and dynamic balance as well as in falls efficacy compared to conventional programs.

Recommended Citation

Dickens, Richard; Rowland, McKaela; Towe, Jarrett; Brazovan, Joey; Moffitt, Elizabeth; Smith, Vivian; Hartzler, Caroline; Woo, Abby; Dwire, Abbie; Benge, Hannah; and Chen, Stephen (2024) "THE EFFECTS OF COMBINING COGNITIVE AND BALANCE TRAINING ON BALANCE AND FALL RISK IN THE ELDERLY POPULATION: A PILOT STUDY," International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings: Vol. 16: Iss. 3, Article 6.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/ijesab/vol16/iss3/6