Lim (2014) The Influence of Short-term Aquatic Training on Obstacle Crossing in Gait by the Elderly
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine the fall-prevention effect of 12 weeks of aquatic training for the elderly using variables representative of the relationship between the trailing foot and an obstacle.
Subjects: Ten healthy elderly participants, who lived in C city, (age: 77.15±5.21 yrs, height: 149.87±3.54 cm, body mass: 57.44 ±6.74, and BMI: 25.58±2.98 kg/m2), participated in this study.
Methods: To determine the effect of 12 weeks’ aquatic training, 3-D motion analysis with 7 infrared cameras and one force plate, was performed.
Results: TC, HC, MVHC, and CV significantly increased after the intervention. For the all gait stability parameters, statistically significant training effects were found.
Conclusion: In conclusion, 12 weeks’ aquatic exercise can help the elderly become more stable when crossing a height obstacle, which is the most frequent cause of falls by the elderly.