earticle

영어

This study was designed to evaluate the effects of whole body vibration (WBV) exercise, mental training (MT), and the concurrent effect of WBV and MT on lower body balance, neuromuscular performance, and leg muscle strength in elderly men. In a randomized control trial study with parallel group design, 42 older men (mean±standard devia-tion age, 68±5.78 years) were randomly divided into four groups: WBV (n=11), MT (n=12), WBV+MT (n=10), and control (n=9) groups. The protocol of training consisted of three sessions per week for 8 weeks and about 30 min for each session. The WBV exercise was performed on a vibration machine. In MT group, participants were asked to men-tally visualize to do the Timed Up and Go and relaxation technics. pos-tural stability, the Timed Up and Go test, 5-repetition chair-rising test, 6-m tandem gait test, 10-m walking, and leg isometric strength were measured in baseline and after 8-week intervention. Repeated mea-sures-analysis of variance followed by post hoc was used to analyses the data. The results of this study s howed that there were significant improvements (P<0.05) in postural stability, Timed Up and Go, 5-repeti-tion chair-rising, 6-m tandem gait test, 10-m walking, and leg isometric strength in WBV, MT, and WBV+MT in comparison with baseline and in comparison with control group. It seems that older adults can take ben-efit from WBV and MT and WBV+MT exercise as a cost-effective and practical way without side effects to improve postural control, mobility, and functional performance.