title: Additional standing balance circuit classes during inpatient rehabilitation improved balance outcomes: an assessor-blinded randomised controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to evaluate the impact on balance (postural control) of six 1-h circuit classes that targeted balance in addition to usual therapy for rehabilitation inpatients.
  
  
  METHODS
  a randomised controlled trial with 2-week and 3-month follow-up.
  
  
  METHODS
  one hundred and sixty-two general rehabilitation inpatients, Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital, Australia.
  
  
  METHODS
  intervention group participants received six 1-h circuit classes over a 2-week period in addition to usual therapy. Control group participants received usual therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  standing balance performance (primary outcome) was better in the intervention group than in the control group at 2 weeks (between-group difference after adjusting for baseline values 3.3 s; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.84 to 5.7, P = 0.009), but the between-group difference was not statistically significant at 3 months (3.4 s; 95% CI -0.56 to 7.38, P = 0.092). Intervention group outcomes were significantly better than the control groups for mobility performance (Short Physical Performance Battery) at 2 weeks (1.19, 95% CI 0.52 to 1.87, P <0.01) and 3 months (1.00, 95% CI 0.00 to 2.00, P < 0.049) and self-reported functioning (AM-PAC) at 2 weeks (5.39, 95% CI 1.20 to 9.57, P = 0.012). The intervention group had a 4.1-day shorter rehabilitation unit stay (95% CI -8.3 to 0.16, P = 0.059) and a lower risk of readmission in the 3 months after randomisation (incidence rate ratio 0.70, 95% CI 0.42 to 1.18, P = 0.184), but these differences were not statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  two weeks of standing balance circuit classes in addition to usual therapy improved balance in general rehabilitation inpatients at 2 weeks.
authors.affiliation: Musculoskeletal Division, The George Institute for Global Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia Physiotherapy Department, Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital, PO Box Locked Mail Bag 1600, Bankstown, New South Wales 2200, Australia.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Treacy
authors.affiliation: Physiotherapy Department, Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital, PO Box Locked Mail Bag 1600, Bankstown, New South Wales 2200, Australia.
authors.forename: Karl
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schurr
authors.affiliation: Centre for Education and Workforce Development, Sydney Local Health District, Rozelle, New South Wales 2039, Australia.
authors.forename: Bradley
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lloyd
authors.affiliation: Musculoskeletal Division, The George Institute for Global Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sherrington
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D012047:Rehabilitation Centers; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: balance; circuit classes; inpatients; older people; physiotherapy; rehabilitation