Scheduled for Motor Behavior Posters, Wednesday, April 10, 2002, 12:45 PM - 1:45 PM, San Diego Convention Center: Exhibit Hall


Obstacle Avoidance as a Function of Sensory Training in Healthy Older Adults

Christopher R. Kovacs, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS

Declines in sensory functioning accompanying increased age have been associated with an increased risk for falls in older adults. Specific balance training activities designed to improve sensory functioning has been shown to be effective for improving static balance in older adults (Hu & Woollacott, 1994). Most falls, however, occur during dynamic movements that require significant sensorimotor integration, such as walking and stepping over obstacles. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the effectiveness of a five-day balance training program on dynamic balance and obstacle avoidance strategies in a group of healthy older adults. Avoidance measures included toe clearance, heel clearance, obstacle crossing speed, horizontal shear, gait velocity, and balance self-confidence. Thirty participants, 25 female and 5 males, with a mean age of 82.5 years (range=65-94) comprised the sample. The participants were all volunteers from the local community and were randomly assigned to one of three groups: an experimental group (EG), a walking control group (WC), and a pre-test and post test only control group (C). Participants in the experimental group received five consecutive days of indirect dynamic multi-sensory training integrated with walking trials. Participants in the walking control group performed walking trials only. A 2 x 3 (Time x Group) repeated measures MANOVA revealed no significant differences between groups following the training protocol. Follow-up repeated measures ANOVAs for each dependent variable revealed a significant difference between groups for obstacle crossing speed. A paired t-test revealed a significant difference (p< .05) between the control group and the experimental and walking control groups for pre- and post-tests. The results suggest that a five-day program is not effective for improving measures of toe clearance, heel clearance, horizontal shear, and measures of self-confidence in healthy older adults. This type of program may be beneficial, however, in delaying a loss in obstacle crossing speed. A more challenging training protocol, practiced over a longer period of time may be necessary to affect a change in the functioning of individuals through indirect sensory manipulation.
Keyword(s): older adult/aging issues, physical activity, research

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