EFFECT OF BALANCE TRAINING PROGRAM ON POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN AT RISK OF FALLING

Research Abstract

Objective of this Study: was to evaluate the effect of balance training program on postmenopausal women at risk of falling. Method: Forty postmenopausal women with age of 55-65 years old were selected randomly from the outpatient clinic of the Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University with collaborative work with the Faculty of Medicine, MUST University. They were divided randomly into two groups; each group consisted of twenty patients. The first group (group A) study group received selected balance training program (60-75min, 3times/week), the second group (group B) control group would ask to continue their ordinarily daily activities for 6 weeks. Overall stability index, antero-posterior stability index, and medio-lateral stability index (OSI, APSI & MLSI), functional reach test, and activities specific balance confidence (ABC) scale were measured at the beginning of the study and after six weeks. Results: The results of this study revealed that, there was a statistically highly significant decrease in the post treatment mean values of balance parameters (OSI, APSI & MLSI) compared to pre treatment values (P = 0.0001), and highly significant increase in post treatment mean values of functional reach test and ABC scale compared to pre treatment values. Also there was a highly significant improvement in all parameters post treatment of the study group compared to that of control group (p = 0.0001). However, there was no significant difference between pre and post treatment mean values of all parameters in the control group (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Selected balance training program is beneficial for postmenopausal women at risk of falling.

Research Keywords

EFFECT OF BALANCE TRAINING PROGRAM ON POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN AT RISK OF FALLING