Theses and Dissertations
This collection includes both ASU Theses and Dissertations, submitted by graduate students, and the Barrett, Honors College theses submitted by undergraduate students.
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- All Subjects: balance
- Creators: School of Nutrition and Health Promotion
Description
The purpose of this paper was to review existing literature on exercise interventions to improve postural stability in older adults in order to assist with the development of a novel intervention with the same function. A brief review of balance changes with aging is followed by a summary of the methods and findings of various interventions. Many types of interventions are discussed, including resistance training, balance training, t'ai chi, and whole body vibration. The studies show promising results, but none utilize the approach of the proposed intervention. This intervention being developed involves the use of a weighted vest to raise one's center of mass, creating a more unstable posture. Performing exercises or daily activities with the vest may improve balance by training muscles in unsteady conditions. The intervention principles to improve postural stability in older adults are beneficial to the foundation of future studies.
ContributorsWiedemann, Ava Marie (Author) / Dounskaia, Natalia (Thesis director) / Ringenbach, Shannon (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Nutrition and Health Promotion (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor)
Created2014-12
Description
Background: Falls are a leading cause of injury in older adults with roughly 1 in 4 American's over the age of 65 experiencing a fall. Research that looks at reactive stepping, or the steps a person takes when they encounter a loss of balance, is sparse. Whether a specific aspect of reactive stepping can be linked to falls has yet to be determined. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine which reactive stepping characteristics may be correlated with falls in from community dwelling older adults. Methods: 54 older adults (11 fallers & 43 non-fallers) underwent 3 "postural perturbations", in which they leaned back into the testers hands and were released, resulting in one or more reactive steps. Inertial sensors (APDM, inc.) were used to measure participant movement and Quantify reactive steps. Step length and step latency, which is the time it takes for an individual to perform a step, were the primary outcomes measured, along with time to stabilization, number of steps taken, and time until first foot strike. Results: Neither step length or step latency were significantly different in fallers compared to non-fallers (p=0.537 and p=0.431, respectively). However, four square step test was significantly different between the populations (p= 0.045). Conclusions: These results showed that four square step test may be more closely related to falls than step length or latency. When performing fall prevention training, or working with an individual at risk for falling, it may be more beneficial to focus on four square step test and the changes in direction associated with it, as opposed to other stepping characteristics in order to improve their fall risk.
ContributorsPreschler, Rachael (Author) / Peterson, Daniel (Thesis director) / Schaefer, Sydney (Committee member) / School of Nutrition and Health Promotion (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05