title: Effect of computerized feedback postural training on posture and attentional demands in older adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Previous research on various fall prevention strategies, in an effort to help the aging population has lead to inconsistent results. In this experiment, an 8-week computerized training program with a feedback fading protocol was given to 12 community-dwelling elderly subjects twice a week.
  
  
  METHODS
  Postural sway (force plate measures), attentional demands (dual-task paradigm), the Berg Balance Scale and the Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC) were measured in pre-, post-, and retention test assessments.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results indicated that the experimental group showed a significant decrease in reaction time during standing compared with the control group, and the difference remained significant even after a two-week period (retention test). Postural sway and ABC results showed no significant changes between groups in either post-test or retention test. The Berg Balance Scale scores were significantly higher in the post-test compared with the pre-test. The Berg scale is a functional mobility scale, and the increase observed may be associated with a decrease of at least 4% in the risk of falling. This study further illustrates that postural sway (mode frequency) may not be the best variable to measure the efficiency of a treatment or training protocol. Reaction time in the dual-task paradigm, which was used to measure attentional demands during posture, was found to be affected more by the training program.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Postural training in combination with a feedback fading protocol seems to improve the automaticity of posture significantly.
authors.affiliation: School of Human Kinetics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada. Ylajoie@uottawa.ca
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lajoie
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D001676:Biofeedback, Psychology; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology*; D011930:Reaction Time