Highlights
- •Whole Body Vibration (WBV) training has been suggested to be an effective way to reduce risk of falls among elderly but has been rarely investigated among nursing home residents.
- •The application of an 8-wk WBV-based intervention in a nursing home setting is feasible and effective to reduce fall risk factors, improve performance in activities of daily living and increase health-related quality of life in nursing home residents over the age of 80 years.
- •The intervention presented here could operate as a model for nursing home practitioners to implement WBV as an exercise-based management intervention for residents in nursing homes.
Abstract
Objective
To test the feasibility and effectiveness of whole-body vibration (WBV) therapy on
fall risk, functional dependence and health-related quality of life in nursing home
residents aged 80+ years.
Design
Twenty-nine 80–95 years old volunteers, nursing home residents were randomized to
an eight-week WBV intervention group) (n = 15) or control group (n = 14). Functional mobility was assessed using the timed up and go (TUG) test. Lower
limb performance was evaluated using the 30-s Chair Sit to Stand (30-s CSTS) test.
Postural stability was measured using a force platform. The Barthel Index was used
to assess functional dependence and the EuroQol (EQ-5D) was used to evaluate Health-Related
Quality of Life. All outcome measures were assessed at baseline and at a follow-up
after 8 weeks.
Results
At the 8-week follow up, TUG test (p < 0.001), 30-s CSTS number of times (p = 0.006), EQ-5Dmobility (p < 0.001), EQ-5DVAS (p < 0.014), EQ-5Dutility (p < 0.001) and Barthel index (p = 0.003) improved in the WBV intervention group when compared to the control group.
Conclusions
An 8-week WBV-based intervention in a nursing home setting is effective in reducing
fall risk factors and quality of life in nursing home residents aged 80+.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: September 29, 2014
Accepted:
September 22,
2014
Received in revised form:
September 9,
2014
Received:
August 10,
2014
Identification
Copyright
© 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.