Influence of a short-term, multicomponent intervention on balance and strength among the elderly

Background: Few studies have combined strength and balance training to assess improvement of activities of daily living among subjects over the age of 65. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate how an eight-week balance and strength training program can lead to improvements in activities of daily living among elderly individuals. Methods: The subjects consisted of 14 elderly women and 3 elderly men who were all residents of an independent living community. There were 10 subjects in the intervention group and 7 subjects in the control group. The intervention group participated in a supervised balance and strength training program twice a week for eight weeks. Results: Significant improvements were observed in the intervention group in regard to upper body strength and balance performance. Conclusions: Balance and strength exercises increase muscular strength and dynamic balance which may, in turn, improve an older individual’s ability to perform activities of daily living