Effect of Tactile Feedback on Reducing Body Sway in Elderly

<p>Context: Body sway increases in the elderly due to normal aging and a high incidence of disease such as diabetes. Increased body sway is associated with an elevated risk of falling. Falling is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in the elderly. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of 6 minutes training of tactile feedback (novel intervention) compared to visual feedback on body sway in the elderly with or without diabetes to develop a new technique for balance training. Design: A single blinded randomized controlled trial. Setting: Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA Participants: 51 subjects: 28 normal healthy older adults and 23 older adults with Type 2 diabetes. Intervention: Subjects were assigned to tactile feedback or visual feedback randomly. Outcome Measures: Body sway was measured using a balance platform. The magnitudes of X and Y coordinates of the subject’s center of gravity were used to calculate body sway. Results: No significant difference between 2 groups using visual feedback or using tactile feedback were found. Results showed a significant reduction in body sway using tactile feedback in elderly while standing on foam with eyes open (1.0± .31 vs. 1.9± .8, p=.006) and eyes closed (1.8± .7 vs. 3.3± 1.5, p=.001). In the group with diabetes, there was a significant reduction in body sway using tactile feedback while standing on foam with eyes closed (1.4± .5 vs. 2.3± .8, p=.045) but not with eyes open. There was a significant reduction in body sway in elderly group with diabetes using visual feedback while standing on foam with feet apart and eyes open (1.3 ± .5 vs. 2.1 ± 1.1; p=.018) and eyes closed (2.0 ± .8 vs 3.1 ± 2.1; p=.003). In elderly group without diabetes, there was a significant reduction in body sway using visual feedback while standing on foam with feet apart and eyes open (1.4 ± .7 vs1.8 ± .9; p=.023), and eyes closed (1.9 ± .9 vs. 3.4 ± 1.8; p=.002). Conclusion: We found that the tactile feedback, a novel technique, improves body balance in elderly with or without diabetes.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Physical Therapy

Year

2015

Author dc:creator

• Alshammari, Faris Shuleih

Contributors dc:contributor

• Petrofsky, Jerrold S.
• Daher, Noha S.
• Laymon, Michael S.

• Medicine and Health Sciences
• Physical Therapy
• Rehabilitation and Therapy
• Aged; Postural Balance; Posture; Motor Activity; Proprioception; Touch Perception;
• Body Sway; Falling; Morbidity and Mortality in the Elderly; Type 2 Diabetes; Visual Feedback

Statement dc:rights

• This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/261

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarsrepository.llu.edu:etd-1260