The Effects of Combined Aerobic and Balance Training on Balance in Elderly Women

Objectives Balance is an index to determine the level of independency of elderly (65 years and older) in their daily activities. We aimed to examine the effect of a combined aerobic and balance training on static, dynamic and functional balance of elderly women. Methods & Materials This was a semi-experimental study with pre-test and post-test design with one exercise intervention and one control group. 30 healthy elderly women volunteered to participate in the training and were randomly assigned into two experimental and control groups. One day before training, functional tests including sharpend Romberg&rsquo;s test (static balance with opened and closed eyes), Star Excursion balance test (dynamic balance) and Berg&rsquo;s scale (functional balance) were performed in both groups. Then the experimental group started a 12-week (four sessions per week) combined aerobic and balance training while the other group was asked to continue its normal daily performance. At the end of 12 weeks, the two groups were post-tested. Data were analyzed by &nbsp;independent t test, and ANCOVA statistical methods. Results Significant improvements were observed in the balance of the experimental group (P<0.05). No significant difference was observed between pre-test and post-test scores in the control group (P>0.05). Conclusion The combined aerobic and balance training employed in this study may result in considerable improvements in static, dynamic, and functional balance of elderly women