Abstract
It is well known that patients with lower extremity arthritis have difficulty in postural control. Previous studies have shown the long-term effects of aquatic exercise on postural control ; in this study, we investigated the acute effects. The center of pressure (COP) was measured in 7 females with lower extremity arthritis (age, 60.4±7.1 years) in the upright position before and after a 60-min aquatic exercise session. It was also measured before and after a 60-min rest (sitting) session conducted on a different occasion. The COP was recorded for 30 s with eyes open. The time and frequency domain measurements of the COP were analyzed, and the pre- and post-session results were statistically compared using a paired t test. In the aquatic exercise session, there were significant differences (p<0.05) between the pre- and post-session values in the frequency domain measurements of velocity power spectrum : the distribution of power shifted to a lower frequency area ; however, there were no significant differences in the time domain measurements. This change in the frequency domain measurements suggests the possibility of acute effects of aquatic exercise on postural control in patients with lower extremity arthritis.
