Somatic movement intervention among older adults to improve body awareness and spine mobility: A pilot study

Loss of spine mobility is common among older adults and is linked to impairments in physical function, however there are few empirically-tested interventions to improve spinal mobility in this population. Somatic movement (SM) techniques aim to increase body and movement awareness and facilitate repatterning processes. A SM instructor guides participants to focus on inner sensations to improve and regulate breath, posture and movement efficiency and expression. We developed a SM intervention to improve spine and pelvis awareness and movement based on Body-Mind Centering®. The goals of this single arm mix-methods longitudinal intervention study were to: 1) asses the feasibility/acceptability of delivering a SM online program, 2) measure the effects of the SM intervention on mental imagery (MI), body/posture awareness, spine mobility, balance, 3) better understand participants' integration of MI and spinal mobility through a qualitative approach, and 4) provide information that can be used for the design of a future randomized controlled trial. The SM intervention consisted of two weekly 1-h classes for 10-weeks. Fifteen older adults (14 female/1 male, age 72.6 ± 7.7 years) completed pre-intervention and fourteen completed the post-intervention on-line physical evaluations ((Back Performance Scale(BPS), spinal rotation, single limb stance, 360 turn, 30 s sit to stand tests) and self-administered questionnaires (body (MAIA-2) and posture (PAS) awareness and balance self-confidence (ABC) scales). There was a significant improvement in spinal mobility as measured by the BPS -.86 ± .94 (p = .005). There were no improvements in body/posture awareness or balance confidence scores (p > .05). However, baseline scores were inversely related with post-intervention scores for MAIA-2 subscales of noticing, not distracting and body listening, PAS scales, ABC scale, 360 turn test counterclockwise steps, 30 s sit to stand, and BPS-pick-up test (p < .05). Qualitative findings support changes in visual MI of the spine from rigid to fluid images. Kinesthetic awareness was modified; more participants described positive sensations associated with the movement of their spine after the intervention. The study provides evidence for the positive effects of a 10-week SM intervention on spine mobility and its benefits on MI, body and postural awareness, especially in those with lower baseline performance and those who are less familiar with those concepts.