Effect of balance training Program using Foam Surface with Mirror Therapy on balance in older adults

BACKGROUND: Balance is an ability to maintain the body's center of gravity within its base of support. Balancing on stable and unstable surfaces has proven to be effective in improving balance.
OBJECTIVES: Older adults automatically restrict their movement due to various reasons such as fear of falls thus controlling their movement action during execution. There is various literature available on Foam surface and Mirror therapy separately, which shows their effect on Balance in the elderly population but the combined effect of both has not been proven. This study aimed to determine whether there will or will not be the effect of foam surface exercise with mirror therapy on balance in older adults.
MATERIAL AND METHOD: A total of 40 asymptomatic older adults between 65-80 were recruited for the study. for the assessment, the Berg balance scale and Fall efficacy scale was taken. Participants were divided into 2 groups, the foam surface balance training group, and the conventional group. All the exercise was given 3 times a week for 1 month.
RESULT: statistical analysis performed within the group using Paired T-test and between-group using Independent T-test for parametric and for non-parametric, within-group analysis done using Wilcoxon signed-rank test and for between-group, Mann-Whitney U test.
CONCLUSION: Participants who were given balance training in the foam surface group had an improvement in their balance.
KEYWORDS: Balance, foam surface, mirror therapy, older adults.