Areeudomwong Pattanasin, Duangyod Thidarat, Sutalangka Chatchada, Buttagat Vitsarut
Department of Physical Therapy, School of Integrative Medicine, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai, Thailand.
Department of Applied Thai Traditional Medicine, School of Integrative Medicine, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai, Thailand.
Ann Geriatr Med Res. 2023 Jun;27(2):141-150. doi: 10.4235/agmr.23.0008. Epub 2023 Jun 23.
Reducing the risk of falling by improving balance and leg strength may be a preventive strategy. This study evaluated the integrated effects of Thai essential oil and balance exercises on parameters associated with Falls in community-dwelling older adults at risk of falling.
Fifty-six participants were randomly allocated to either the intervention group (IG), which performed balance exercises while smelling Thai essential oil scents of Zanthoxylum limonella (Dennst.) Alston, or the control group (CG), which performed balance exercises while receiving a control patch. Balance exercises were practiced for 12, 30-minute sessions over 4 weeks. Static and dynamic balance with eyes open and eyes closed (EC), leg muscle strength, agility, and fear of falling were assessed at baseline, after the 4-week intervention, and at 1 month after the last intervention session.
Both groups showed significant improvements in static and dynamic balance, ankle plantarflexor strength, and agility after the 4-week intervention (p<0.05), which persisted at the 1-month follow-up (p<0.05). Compared to the CG, the IG demonstrated significantly better static balance in terms of elliptical sway area (p=0.04) and center of pressure (CoP) velocity (p=0.001) during EC, as well as ankle plantarflexor strength (p=0.01). The IG also maintained a significantly greater improvement in CoP velocity during EC (p=0.01).
Integrated Thai essential oil and balance exercises improved static balance and ankle plantarflexor strength compared to the balance exercise with a control patch in older adults at risk of falling.
通过改善平衡能力和腿部力量来降低跌倒风险可能是一种预防策略。本研究评估了泰国香薰精油与平衡训练对有跌倒风险的社区居住老年人跌倒相关参数的综合影响。
56名参与者被随机分配到干预组（IG）或对照组（CG）。干预组在闻泰国柠檬花椒精油气味的同时进行平衡训练，对照组在使用对照贴片的同时进行平衡训练。平衡训练为期4周，共12节，每节30分钟。在基线、4周干预后以及最后一次干预 session 后1个月，评估睁眼和闭眼（EC）时的静态和动态平衡、腿部肌肉力量、敏捷性以及跌倒恐惧。
4周干预后，两组在静态和动态平衡、踝关节跖屈肌力量和敏捷性方面均有显著改善（p<0.05），且在1个月随访时仍持续存在（p<0.05）。与对照组相比，干预组在EC期间的椭圆摆动面积（p = 0.04）和压力中心（CoP）速度（p = 0.001）方面的静态平衡明显更好，踝关节跖屈肌力量也更好（p = 0.01）。干预组在EC期间的CoP速度也保持了显著更大的改善（p = 0.01）。
与使用对照贴片进行平衡训练相比，泰国香薰精油与平衡训练相结合可改善有跌倒风险的老年人的静态平衡和踝关节跖屈肌力量。
