Gait and balance disorders are important immediate causes and high risk factors for falls in nursing homes (Rubenstein et al 1994), and contribute significantly to fear of falling (Gillespie and Friedman 2007). Moreover, people with high risk of falls or fear of falling may be reluctant or ineligible to participate in regular physical activity programs such as aerobics and walking outside. Therefore, starting physical activity programs in a safe environment is recommended as a first step to acquire sufficient self-confidence and fitness levels to avoid falls and

fear of falls. To achieve this, it is deemed necessary to design intervention strategies to improve or maintain balance and gait, thereby minimising the number of falls and fear of falling in institutionalised older people. Furthermore, gait, balance, co-ordination, and functional task Selleckchem Ion Channel Ligand Library training are moderately effective in improving clinical balance outcomes in older people and these interventions are probably safe (Howe et al 2011). Therapeutic interventions aimed at improving balance and gait in this population also lead to improvements in fear of falling (Kuramoto 2006).

Previous research has demonstrated the effectiveness of stability training (Hoffman and Payne 1995), dynamic proprioceptive exercises (Sinaki and Lynn 2002), and balance with visual feedback click here training (Zijlstra et al 2010). Sensory information has an important influence on balance activity in older people (Stelmach et al 1989), and the integration Methisazone of visual, vestibular, and somatosensory information is necessary to generate appropriate balance responses (Dichgans and Diener 1989). Increasing dynamic What is already known on this topic: Falls are frequent among institutionalised older adults, resulting in substantial morbidity and healthcare costs. Training of gait, balance, co-ordination and functional tasks is moderately effective in improving balance and reducing fear of falling in older people. What this

study adds: Among nursing home residents with fear of falling, a 12-week balance training program using an unstable platform reduced that fear while improving dynamic balance and isometric leg strength. In institutionalised older people with fear of falling: 1. Does a balance training program with the Biodex Balance System reduce fear of falling? A randomised, controlled trial was performed to test the effectiveness of a balance training program using the Biodex Balance System platform in older people with fear of falling. The patient files were checked against the inclusion criteria and, prior to the initial assessment, eligibleparticipants were randomised to either the balance training group or the control group by a research administrator using a random number table that was concealed from the recruiting investigator. All participants were assigned a code number.