Effect of computerized feedback postural training on posture and attentional demands in older adults

Previous research on various fall prevention strategies, in an effort to help the aging population has lead to inconsistent results. In this experiment, an 8-week computerized training program with a feedback fading protocol was given to 12 community-dwelling elderly subjects twice a week.

Postural sway (force plate measures), attentional demands (dual-task paradigm), the Berg Balance Scale and the Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC) were measured in pre-, post-, and retention test assessments.

Results indicated that the experimental group showed a significant decrease in reaction time during standing compared with the control group, and the difference remained significant even after a two-week period (retention test). Postural sway and ABC results showed no significant changes between groups in either post-test or retention test. The Berg Balance Scale scores were significantly higher in the post-test compared with the pre-test. The Berg scale is a functional mobility scale, and the increase observed may be associated with a decrease of at least 4% in the risk of falling. This study further illustrates that postural sway (mode frequency) may not be the best variable to measure the efficiency of a treatment or training protocol. Reaction time in the dual-task paradigm, which was used to measure attentional demands during posture, was found to be affected more by the training program.

Postural training in combination with a feedback fading protocol seems to improve the automaticity of posture significantly.