The Effect of 6 Weeks of Core Stabilization Training Program on Falling in the Elderly

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to study the effects of eight weeks of core stability training program on postural control in the elderly. Forty elderly women (70.58<5.98 yr) were selected to participate in this study. A week prior to the beginning of the training program, the balance was measured by Berg Balance Test (BBT) and subjects were divided into two groups based on the obtained BBT scores: low risk falling and high risk falling. Then, the subjects were randomly divided into two experimental and control groups. The Experimental group performed a core stabilization program for six weeks and three times per week. The results showed that in the posttest, experimental group performed better than the control group and this difference was significant (P<0.05). It can be concluded that core stabilization training program may improve balance and falling in the elderly. The results showed that if the elderly participate in general fitness programs, their independence and functional activities of daily living will increase.