[Musculoskeletal rehabilitation and bone. Static balance exercise for preventing falls and fractures]

There is an urgent need to establish measures for dealing with reduced life function in the elderly. Fractures caused by falls are one of the factors that prevent elderly people from living independently, and there is a need for exercises that provide superior balance and more effectively prevent falls. However, although several meta-analyses have been conducted regarding balance, there are few clear guidelines for balance exercises. In the present study, we clarified the development of balance ability by examining the motor development process, and discuss herein the significance of acquisition and maintenance of static balance. We also conducted a literature search regarding effective exercises for static balance impairment, and include a discussion of the effectiveness and limitations of static balance exercises.