Article

A new balance rehabilitation and training apparatus has been developed to allow a
balance-impaired person to cope with his or her fear of falling while safely and
independently performing exercises necessary to improve functional balance. The
apparatus consists of a stable platform where the user stands and a vertical
structure that supports free-floating handles that the user holds with both hands
while performing various exercises. The purpose of study 1 was to determine
whether this new apparatus significantly alters the biological postural control
system, and the purpose of study 2 was to document the benefits of balance
training using the apparatus. Study 1 was a randomized repeated-measures design
with six healthy adult subjects (mean age = 35.5 yr), and study 2 was a 4 wk
intervention case study with a generally healthy 63-yr-old individual. The
results suggest that postural sway characteristics and the cortical and
proprioceptive feedback were not limited when using the apparatus. We also
observed improvements in balance control and postural stability with 4 wk of
training with the apparatus. These results support that the apparatus could be an
effective tool to help individuals safely and independently perform balance
exercises while potentially preventing falls and minimizing fear of falling.

Langue : ANGLAIS