| DO MULTI-SYSTEM PHYSICAL EXERCISES IMPROVE BALANCE IN FEMALE OLDER ADULTS WITH A HISTORY OF FALLING? |
| Paper ID : 1167-SPORTCONGRESS |
| Authors |
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Pegah Jafari Malek Abadi *1, Ebrahim Ebrahimi2 1Department of Sport Injuries and Corrective Exercises, Faculty of Physical Education, Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran, Iran 2Department of Sport Injuries and Biomechanics, Faculty of Sport Sciences and Health, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran |
| Abstract |
| Introduction: Falls are a leading cause of morbidity, functional decline, and loss of independence among older adults, with over one-third of community-dwelling individuals aged 65 years and older experiencing at least one fall annually. These events often result in severe injuries, including fractures and traumatic brain injuries, which disproportionately affect female older adults due to postmenopausal bone loss and accelerated sarcopenia. While conventional exercise interventions yield moderate reductions in falls, multisystem exercise programs integrating balance, strength, flexibility, and endurance have demonstrated superior efficacy in enhancing postural stability, motor coordination, and adaptive responses to perturbations. Despite growing evidence, no research has examined the impact of multisystem interventions specifically on the balance of female older adults with a history of falling. Methods: Thirty female older adults aged 65 years and above participated in this study. Participants were divided into two groups of fifteen: an experimental group and a control group. All participants had a history of falling, as determined by a self-reported questionnaire that asked if they had experienced one or more falls in the past 12 months. The experimental group participated in a six-week multi-system physical exercise program, while the control group continued their normal daily activities without structured exercise intervention. Balance performance was assessed using the Berg Balance Scale before and after the intervention period. Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance to compare post-test balance scores between the groups. Results: The results showed a significant difference in balance performance between the two groups after the intervention (p < 0.01). Participants in the experimental group demonstrated significantly higher Berg Balance Scale scores compared to the control group, indicating improved postural stability and balance control following the six-week multi-system exercise program. Conclusion: These results emphasize the importance of implementing structured, multi-component exercise interventions in fall prevention programs for the elderly population. |
| Keywords |
| Balance, Aging, Exercise |
| Status: Abstract Accepted (Poster Presentation) |
