Department of Kinesiology and Health Science, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, United States of America.
PLoS One. 2022 Oct 12;17(10):e0275733. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0275733. eCollection 2022.
Reactive balance, a critical automatic movement pattern in response to a perturbation, is directly linked to fall prevention in older adults. Various exercise interventions have been broadly performed to improve reactive balance and thus prevent falls. Curiously, aquatic exercises have been suggested as an effective balance intervention and a safer alternative to exercises on dry land yet the efficacy of aquatic exercises on reactive balance has not been formally investigated. The present clinical trial aims to identify if skills acquired during aquatic exercise are more effectively transferred to a reactive balance task than land exercise. This study is designed as a double-blinded, randomized controlled clinical trial. Forty-four older adults aged 65 years or above who meet the eligibility criteria will be recruited and randomized into an aquatic exercise group or land exercise group. Each group will participate in the same single bout intervention that includes a ball throwing and catching task. A modified lean-and-release test will be implemented on land immediately before, after, and one week after the single bout intervention. The outcomes will include reaction time, rapid response accuracy, and mini-BESTest scores obtained from stepping and grasping reactions. All statistical analyses will be conducted using an intention-to-treat approach. Our conceptual hypothesis is that participants in the aquatic exercise group will demonstrate more improved outcome scores in the lean-and-release test when compared to those in the land exercise group. The results of the present study are expected to provide evidence to support the benefits of aquatic exercises for improving reactive balance in older adults. Further, participants may find aquatic exercises safer and more motivating, thus encouraging them to participate in further aquatic exercise programs.
反应平衡是一种对干扰做出反应的关键自动运动模式，与老年人跌倒预防直接相关。已经广泛开展了各种运动干预措施来改善反应平衡，从而预防跌倒。有趣的是，水上运动被认为是一种有效的平衡干预措施，并且比在陆地上运动更安全，然而，水上运动对反应平衡的效果尚未得到正式研究。本临床试验旨在确定在水上运动中获得的技能是否比在陆地上运动更有效地转移到反应平衡任务中。本研究设计为双盲、随机对照临床试验。将招募 44 名年龄在 65 岁或以上符合入选标准的老年人，并将他们随机分为水上运动组或陆地运动组。每个组将参加相同的单次干预，包括投球和接球任务。在单次干预前后和一周后，将在陆地上进行改良的倾斜释放测试。结果将包括反应时间、快速反应准确性和从跨步和抓握反应中获得的 mini-BESTest 评分。所有统计分析将采用意向治疗方法进行。我们的概念假设是，与陆地运动组相比，水上运动组在倾斜释放测试中的结果评分会有更大的改善。本研究的结果有望提供证据支持水上运动对改善老年人反应平衡的益处。此外，参与者可能会发现水上运动更安全且更有动力，从而鼓励他们参与更多的水上运动项目。
