title: Efficacy of training program for ambulatory competence in elderly women.
abstract: The optimal prevention of osteoporotic fractures in the elderly consists of increasing the bone density and preventing falls. We report on the efficacy of training program to promote ambulatory competence in elderly women. Twenty-five elderly women were enrolled in our training program, which is a three-month program consisting of dynamic balance training with Galileo 900 (Novotec, Pforzheim, Germany) once a week, combined with daily static balance (standing on one leg like a flamingo) and resistance (half-squat) training. The mean age of the participants was 72.8 years (range, 61-86 years). After 3 months of training, the step length, knee extensor muscle strength, and maximum standing time on one leg were significantly increased, while the walking speed and hip flexor muscle strength were not significantly altered. During the study period, no serious adverse events such as new vertebral fractures or adverse cardiovascular symptoms were observed in any participant. The present preliminary study shows that our training program may have the potential to promote ambulatory competence in elderly women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sports Medicine, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan. jiwamoto@sc.itc.keio.ac.jp
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Iwamoto
authors.forename: Yohei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Otaka
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kudo
authors.forename: Tsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takeda
authors.forename: Mitsuyoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uzawa
authors.forename: Kiyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hirabayashi
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006615:Hip / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000473:pathology; D010807:Physical Endurance; D013997:Time Factors; D016138:Walking