Gomes (2009) The beneficial effects of aquatic therapy on balance in the elderly and on fall prevention (Portuguese)

Abstract:
Aging is understood as a set of structural and functional changes unfavorable body that happen slowly and gradually with the advanced age and these tend to have an Actuarial balance, and thereby increasing the chance of falls. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of hydrotherapy in improving balance in older people and thus prevent falls. The study included 11 subjects, 10 females and 1 male, registered in Nirmatele and Água Vermelha Family Health Programs, settled in Formiga – MG. These were assessed before and after treatment by Balance Scale Berg. The intervention consisted of 12 individual sessions, with an average of 50minutes each, twice a week as pre-established protocol.

Data were analyzed using t-test, with significance level p <0.05, since the normality of the variables were analyzed by the Kolmogorov Smirnov. The results showed a significant increase (p =0.00023) Scale score on the Berg Balance, where Berg had before averaging 47.36and Berg after averaging 51.63. Thus, indicating an improvement of the balance of the aged. Therefore we can conclude this study that hydrotherapy is favorable in improving balance in older people, can contribute to prevention of falls in the population studied.

Keywords: Hydrotherapy. Balance. Elderly people. Falls.