Use of a combination of ankle pressure and SENSERite system to treat older adults with impaired ankle proprioception: a single-blind experimental study.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of a combination of visual biofeedback and ankle pressure on ankle position sense in elderly adults with and without impaired ankle joint position sense (JPS).


METHODS
Independent 2 x 3 factorial design with an experimenter-blind study.


METHODS
University motion laboratory.


METHODS
Older adults (N=40) were recruited from local community centers. Among them, 21 elderly subjects had relatively normative score, whereas 19 subjects had impaired ankle position sense.


METHODS
Both the normative and impaired elderly subjects underwent either ankle JPS visual feedback training alone or a combination of ankle JPS visual feedback training and circumferential ankle pressure for one 30-minute training session.


METHODS
The outcome measures included ankle JPS errors measured in absolute constant error (ACE) and variable error (VE) during standing at pretest, posttest, and 1-week follow-up test. A separate repeated measures analyses of variance was performed to evaluate the differential training effects on ACE and VE, respectively. The Pearson chi-square test and Bonferroni test were performed. Significance was assigned at P less than .05 for all analyses.


RESULTS
Regardless of intervention conditions, older adults with and without ankle position sense impairment showed immediate treatment benefits, which relatively remained stable even at the follow-up test. These effects were reflected in significant improvements of JPS accuracy and consistency (P<.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings may suggest that both interventions were equally effective in increasing ankle JPS accuracy and consistency in older adults with and without impairments, and therapeutic effects lasted for a week, reflecting long-term effect.
You
Joshua H
JH
Department of Physical Therapy, Graduate School of Rehabilitation Science, Yonsei University, Wonju City, Kangwon-do, Republic of South Korea. neurorehab@yonsei.ac.kr
Saliba
Susan
S
Saliba
Ethan
E
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000843:Ankle Joint / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001676:Biofeedback, Psychology / Q000379:methods*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009989:Orthotic Devices; D004856:Postural Balance; D011434:Proprioception / Q000502:physiology*; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D019722:Sphygmomanometers; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires