TY - GEN A1 - Mühlbauer, Thomas A1 - Besemer, Carmen A1 - Wehrle, Anja A1 - Gollhofer, Albert A1 - Granacher, Urs T1 - Relationship between strength, power and balance performance in seniors N2 - Background: Deficits in strength, power and balance represent important intrinsic risk factors for falls in seniors. Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between variables of lower extremity muscle strength/power and balance, assessed under various task conditions. Methods: Twenty-four healthy and physically active older adults (mean age: 70 8 5 years) were tested for their isometric strength (i.e. maximal isometric force of the leg extensors) and muscle power (i.e. countermovement jump height and power) as well as for their steady-state (i.e. unperturbed standing, 10-meter walk), proactive (i.e. Timed Up & Go test, Functional Reach Test) and reactive (i.e. perturbed standing) balance. Balance tests were conducted under single (i.e. standing or walking alone) and dual task conditions (i.e. standing or walking plus cognitive and motor interference task). Results: Significant positive correlations were found between measures of isometric strength and muscle power of the lower extremities (r values ranged between 0.608 and 0.720, p < 0.01). Hardly any significant associations were found between variables of strength, power and balance (i.e. no significant association in 20 out of 21 cases). Additionally, no significant correlations were found between measures of steady-state, proactive and reactive balance or balance tests performed under single and dual task conditions (all p > 0.05). Conclusion: The predominately nonsignificant correlations between different types of balance imply that balance performance is task specific in healthy and physically active seniors. Further, strength, power and balance as well as balance under single and dual task conditions seem to be independent of each other and may have to be tested and trained complementarily T3 - Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Humanwissenschaftliche Reihe - 331 KW - steady-state balance KW - proactive/reactive balance KW - force production KW - single/dual tasking KW - cognitive/motor interference Y1 - 2017 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-399970 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Granacher, Urs A1 - Lacroix, Andre A1 - Mühlbauer, Thomas A1 - Roettger, Katrin A1 - Gollhofer, Albert T1 - Effects of core instability strength training on trunk muscle strength, spinal mobility, dynamic balance and functional mobility in older adults N2 - Background: Age-related postural misalignment, balance deficits and strength/power losses are associated with impaired functional mobility and an increased risk of falling in seniors. Core instability strength training (CIT) involves exercises that are challenging for both trunk muscles and postural control and may thus have the potential to induce benefits in trunk muscle strength, spinal mobility and balance performance. Objective: The objective was to investigate the effects of CIT on measures of trunk muscle strength, spinal mobility, dynamic balance and functional mobility in seniors. Methods: Thirty-two older adults were randomly assigned to an intervention group (INT; n = 16, aged 70.8 +/- 4.1 years) that conducted a 9-week progressive CIT or to a control group (n = 16, aged 70.2 +/- 4.5 years). Maximal isometric strength of the trunk flexors/extensors/lateral flexors (right, left)/rotators (right, left) as well as of spinal mobility in the sagittal and the coronal plane was measured before and after the intervention program. Dynamic balance (i.e. walking 10 m on an optoelectric walkway, the Functional Reach test) and functional mobility (Timed Up and Go test) were additionally tested. Results: Program compliance was excellent with participants of the INT group completing 92% of the training sessions. Significant group x test interactions were found for the maximal isometric strength of the trunk flexors (34%, p < 0.001), extensors (21%, p < 0.001), lateral flexors (right: 48%, p < 0.001; left: 53%, p < 0.001) and left rotators (42%, p < 0.001) in favor of the INT group. Further, training-related improvements were found for spinal mobility in the sagittal (11%, p < 0.001) and coronal plane (11%, p = 0.06) directions, for stride velocity (9%, p < 0.05), the coefficient of variation in stride velocity (31%, p < 0.05), the Functional Reach test (20%, p < 0.05) and the Timed Up and Go test (4%, p < 0.05) in favor of the INT group. Conclusion: CIT proved to be a feasible exercise program for seniors with a high adherence rate. Age-related deficits in measures of trunk muscle strength, spinal mobility, dynamic balance and functional mobility can be mitigated by CIT. This training regimen could be used as an adjunct or even alternative to traditional balance and/or resistance training. T3 - Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Humanwissenschaftliche Reihe - 332 KW - elderly KW - gait KW - muscle strength KW - physical performance KW - postural balance Y1 - 2017 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-399994 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Wiesmeier, Isabella K. A1 - Dalin, Daniela A1 - Wehrle, Anja A1 - Granacher, Urs A1 - Muehlbauer, Thomas A1 - Dietterle, Jörg A1 - Weiller, Cornelius A1 - Gollhofer, Albert A1 - Maurer, Christoph T1 - Balance training enhances vestibular function and reduces overactive proprioceptive feedback in elderly JF - Frontiers in aging neuroscience N2 - Objectives: Postural control in elderly people is impaired by degradations of sensory, motor, and higher-level adaptive mechanisms. Here, we characterize the effects of a progressive balance training programon these postural control impairments using a brain network model based on system identification techniques. Methods and Material: We analyzed postural control of 35 healthy elderly subjects and compared findings to data from 35 healthy young volunteers. Eighteen elderly subjects performed a 10 week balance training conducted twice per week. Balance training was carried out in static and dynamic movement states, on support surfaces with different elastic compliances, under different visual conditions and motor tasks. Postural control was characterized by spontaneous sway and postural reactions to pseudorandom anterior-posterior tilts of the support surface. Data were interpreted using a parameter identification procedure based on a brain network model. Conclusion: Balance training reduced overactive proprioceptive feedback and restored vestibular orientation in elderly. Based on the assumption of a linear deterioration of postural control across the life span, the training effect can be extrapolated as a juvenescence of 10 years. This study points to a considerable benefit of a continuous balance training in elderly, even without any sensorimotor deficits. KW - age KW - balance KW - vestibular KW - proprioception KW - training Y1 - 2017 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2017.00273 SN - 1663-4365 VL - 9 PB - Frontiers Research Foundation CY - Lausanne ER -