A COMPARISON OF THE EFFECTS OF 3 TYPES OF ENDURANCE TRAINING ON BALANCE AND OTHER FALL RISK-FACTORS IN OLDER ADULTS

We hypothesized that short-term endurance training improves balance in older adults, if training involves movements that ''stress'' balance. We tested the hypothesis by looking for a dose-response relationship between movement during exercise and balance improvement. The study wa s a single-blinded, randomized controlled trial. Subjects were sedenta ry adults (N=106) aged 68-85 with at least mild deficits in balance. E xercise groups were: stationary cycle (low movement), walking (medium movement), and aerobic movement (high movement). Subjects attended sup ervised exercise classes three times a week for three months, followed by self-directed exercise of any type for three months. The primary t est of the hypothesis compared changes in balance after three months o f supervised exercise. One balance measure (distance walked on a six-m eter narrow balance beam) improved in the hypothesized dose-response m anner (cycle, 3% improvement; walking, 7% improvement; aerobic movemen t, 18%, improvement: p<0.02, test of trend). Other balance measures di d not improve with exercise. Only walking exercise improved gait speed (by 5%, p<0.02) and SF-36 role-physical score (by 24%, p<0.05). VO(2) max improved with walking (18%, p<0.004) and aerobic movement (10%, p< 0.01), but improved less with cycling (8%, p>0.1). Leg strength improv ed significantly in all exercise groups. The study hypothesis was supp orted only for one balance measure. Only walking improved at least one measure of all major outcomes (endurance, strength, gait, balance, he alth status), suggesting that walking is most useful for fall preventi on. Cycle exercise appeared least useful. (C) 1997, Editrice Kurtis.