A STANDING LOW-FREQUENCY VIBRATION EXERCISE DEVICE FOR IMPROVING BALANCE IN COMMUNITY-DWELLING OLDER ADULTS: A SINGLE-BLIND RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL

S. Oka¹, Y. Takano², H. Matsuse³

¹Reiwa Health Science University, Department of Physical Thrapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation, Fukuoka, Japan, ²Internatioanl University of Health and Welfare, Department of Physical Therapy, School of Health Sciences at Fukuoka, Okawa, Japan, ³Kurume University School of Medicine, Department of Orthopedics, Kurume, Japan

Background: A program that includes both balance training and muscle-strengthening exercises is effective for preventing falls in the elderly. However, there is a trade-off between the difficulty of balance training and the risk of falling. Safe and effective balance training equipment has been developed for solving these issues.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of the standing low-frequency vibration exercise device (SLVED) and walking training on the balance ability on an unstable surface in active community-dwelling elderly people.

Methods: We planned to enroll 38 people 65 years of age and older who could walk independently without the use of assistive aids and were mentally capable. Participants were randomly allocated to SLVED sessions, the intervention group (n = 19), walking sessions, the control group (n = 19). The SLVED 3D system Rakuraku Balance (Cotoho Co., Ltd., Osaka, Japan) was set to shake participants on the step at a frequency of 1.6 Hz. Each group session lasted 20 minutes, twice a week, for 12 weeks. Standing balance was assessed by the change of center of foot pressure (COP) sway of the participant standing on a foam rubber with eyes open (EO) and closed (EC) , at a sampling frequency of 20 Hz for one minute. The primary outcome measures were root mean square (RMS) values of COP, in mediolateral (X-RMS) and anteroposterior directions (Y-RMS) and RMS area. Secondary outcome measures were a 10-m walking time test (10MWT), a five-times sit-to-stand test (5T-STS), and a timed up-and-go test (TUG). A non-paired t-test was conducted to compare the intervention and control groups’ demographic characteristics and baseline outcomes. In addition, analysis of variance with a split-plot design was performed for the comparison before and after the intervention (time factor), the intervention groups (group factor), and the interaction (time × group). Effect sizes (eta squared, ηp²) were calculated for the main and interaction effects. A corresponding paired t-test was performed to compare outcomes before and after the intervention. Cohens’ d was used for effect size. The significance level was set at 5%.

Results: The results of the effects of SLVED and walking training were time × group interaction effect with TUG, main effect of time factor on the foam rubber standing balance with EO and EC, 10MWT, 5T-STS and TUG. Significant improvements were observed in Y-RMS for EO conditions, RMS for EC conditions, X-RMS, Y-RMS, RMS area, 10MWT, 5T-STS, and TUG for the main effect of time factor. In addition, the intervention group showed statistically significant improvements from baseline in RMS, X-RMS, Y-RMS, RMS area of EC condition, 10MWT, 5T-STS, and TUG. The control group showed statistically significant improvements from baseline of 5T-STS.

Conclusions: SLVED improved foam rubber standing balance of EC condition, 10MWT, 5T-STS, and TUG in active community-dwelling older adults, suggesting that it has similar effects to walking training.

Implications: The specific SLVED protocol used in this study can be considered safe and suitable for a mobility and balance training program with community-dwelling activity older adults.

Funding acknowledgements: Author A received research funding and materials from Cotoho Co., Ltd.

Keywords:
elderly adults
standing balance
standing low-frequency vibration exercise device

Topics:
Disability & rehabilitation
Older people
Community based rehabilitation

Did this work require ethics approval? Yes

Institution: International University of Health and Welfare

Committee: The Ethics Committee of International University of Health and Welfare

Ethics number: 19-Ifh-088