Effects of Toe Grasp Training for the Aged on Spontaneous Postural Sway

抄録

Falls are a common problem among elderly persons, but the training for the fall prevention is not well established. Therefore, the effectiveness of toe grasp training was examined in this study. Spontaneous postural sway was tested on elderly persons (N=19) with eyes open and eyes closed. Using a force plate, sway responses were quantified in terms of the total track length, the environmental areas, the maximum amplitude distance of X-axis, and the maximum amplitude distance of Y-axis. The data was compared between the toe grasp training group and the control group. Total track length (eyes open and eyes closed), environmental areas (eyes open) and maximum amplitude distance of X-axis (eyes open and eyes closed) were improved significantly in the toe grasp training group. The activation of foot mechanoreceptors and improvements of the eye-leg coordination were thought to be factors in this improvement and toe grasp training is expected to be effective for fall prevention of the aged.