Author and graduation date: Danica C. MEDINA, May, 2001

Committee members: Jeanne F. Nicholls (Chair), Patricia Patterson, Barbara C. DuBois

Thesis title: The Effects of Stability Ball Training on Functional Abilities of Older Adults

>The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of stability ball training on functional abilities of adults 65 and older. Sixteen community-dwelling older adults with a mean age of 75.27 + 4.89 years were randomized by site to either a stability ball (SB) training group (n = 9) or to a stretching control (CON) group (n = 7). Both groups participated in 60 minutes of exercise, two times per week for 10 weeks. The intervention (SB) was designed to be a progressive exercise program using stability balls to challenge strength and balance. Emphasis was placed on training the core musculature (between the pelvis and shoulder girdle) as well as the extremities. Dependent variables included measures of strength, balance, flexibility, and posture as well as a questionnaire on fear of falling. Group by Time repeated measures ANOVAs tested at an alpha level of .10, demonstrated significant interaction effects for functional reach (p = .030); hamstring flexibility tight leg (p = .099); hamstring flexibility left leg (p =.011); shelf task (p =.094); fear of falling (p = .098); and posture (p = .028). Trends toward improvements were seen in the SB group on measures of tandem stance eyes open, one-leg stance eyes open, right- and left-side functional reach and chair rise measures, whereas the CON group had no change in most of these measures. The data indicate that stability ball training can improve dynamic balance, flexibility, upper body strength, posture and decrease fear of falling in older adults.

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