Postural instability in fall-prone older people: cognitive contributions and effects of virtual reality

Many older people are confronted with balance problems, which often result in a fall. A variety of factors have been defined as involved in balance and falling. Known causes are for example muscle weakness, delayed or reduced muscle activations, static and dynamic imbalance (increased postural sway), dual tasking problems (attentional deficits), gait variability (stride time variability, stride length variability) and executivedysfunction. Recent study suggests that balance is susceptible tovirtual reality training, and that this is true for a diverse group of elderly. This training mode offers the possibility to train different motor aspects of balance as well as its cognitive components, such as the ability to gain balance control during dual tasking. The current doctoral is part of a European study, the so-called V-TIME study, in which together with other partners, the effects of virtual reality training on falls are investigated, using a randomized study design.. Throughoutthe study we will try to 1) define the perceptions of patients and professionals towards virtual reality training, 2) evaluate the effects of virtual reality combined interventions (either with a treadmill or the CAREN balance platform) on balance, postural control and mobility and 3) investigate differences in balance and postural control with and without cognitive challenge among elderly fallers, patients with Parkinson s disease (PD) and patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).nrpages: 196status: publishe