A novel balance exercise program for postural stability in older adults: A pilot study

Summary 

Pilates-inspired exercise is increasing in popularity as a general and clinical exercise training technique. It is purported to improve postural awareness with a large focus on facilitating movement re-education, however, there is limited research to support this. This study examined the effectiveness of a novel Pilates-inspired exercise program specifically designed to improve balance in an upright position, referred to as postural stability, in older adults. Participants for this pilot study were eight community-dwelling men and women aged 66–71 years. The exercise regimen was undertaken twice weekly for 8 weeks and pre- and post-subject assessment included postural sway (static and dynamic), the timed get up and go test (TGUGT), sit-to-stand (timed one repetition and repetitions over 30s) and a four stage balance test. Seven subjects completed the intervention. There was a significant improvement (P<0.05) in some components of static and dynamic postural sway (8–27%) as well as the TGUGT (7%) following training. These results suggest that a balance training program of Pilates-inspired exercises over a short duration can be safely performed in well-functioning elders and may lead to improvements in postural stability. Future research may consider the variation of specific balance training techniques, primarily movement re-education compared to speed and/or reaction time, to improve postural stability and reduce falls risk.

Keywords: Postural stability, Older adult, Balance retraining, Pilates