Thesis (M Sport Sc)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Falling is a common occurrence and one of the most serious problems in the elderly population
(65 years and older). Falls account for 70% of accidental deaths in persons aged 75 years and
older. Falls can be markers/indicators of poor health and declining function, and are often
associated with significant morbidity. More than 90% of hip fractures occur as a result of falls,
with most of these fractures occurring in persons over 70 years of age (Fuller, 2000). About one
third of people aged 65 years and older fall each year, resulting in a substantial decrease in
quality of life in addition to placing a huge burden on current health care systems.
The purpose of this study was to determine whether a 12-week exercise intervention programme,
consisting of two 30 minute exercise sessions a week, could lower the risk of falling in a group
of elderly women. Female subjects (n=22) with an average age of 79.5 years were selected from three retirement
homes situated in Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa, according to specific inclusion and
exclusion criteria. The subjects included presented no major cardiovascular and pulmonary
disease signs and symptoms as recognised by the American College of Sports Medicine (2011);
had no serious illnesses or co-morbidities; were mobile with no significant musculoskeletal
disorders; had no uncorrected visual or vestibular problems as well as no significant cognitive
impairments or major psychological disturbances; were not taking any psychotropic medications
or Benzodiazepines that could affect their progress. Subjects also had to be willing to follow the
12-week exercise intervention programme and sign an informed consent document. The selected
subjects then underwent a pre- and post-intervention assessment consisting of a subjective rating
of their fear of falling, the Fall Risk Assessment: Biodex Balance system, Balance Evaluations
Systems Test (BESTest) and the 30-Second Chair Stand Test. Statistica 10 was used to analyse
the data. Data was analysed to assess any significant improvements that the exercise intervention
had on each fall risk variable tested. The main fall risk variables consisted of: fear of falling,
muscular strength, balance, gait and getting up strategies. Statistically significant improvements (p<0.001) were seen in: Fear of falling, muscular strength,
balance, gait and getting up strategies after the 12-week exercise intervention programme.
This study suggests that exercise intervention has the potential to decrease the risk of falling
among elderly women and should play an extremely important role in the prevention of falling
amongst this population group. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Om te val is ‘n alledaagse gebeurtenis en een van die mees ernstige probleme vir ons bejaarde
bevolking (65 jaar en ouer). Insidente van val verklaar tot 70% van toevallige sterftes met
betrekking tot persone van 75 jarige ouderdom en ouer. Om te val kan ‘n teken van swak
gesondheid en/of ‘n afname in funksionele kapasiteit wees, en is gewoonlik met
morbiditeitspatrone gekoppel. Meer as 90% van heupfrakture kom as gevolg van valle voor,
waar die meeste van die frakture in persone bo 70 jarige ouderdom voorkom (Fuller, 2000).
Minstens een derde van persone bo 65 jaar en ouer val elke jaar, so ‘n val het ‘n
noemenswaardige afname in lewenskwaliteit tot gevolg asook ‘n enorme druk wat op huidige
gesondheidsorg sisteme geplaas word.
Die doel van die studie was om te bepaal of ‘n 12 week oefenintervensieprogram, wat uit twee
oefen sessies van 30 minute elk bestaan, die risiko van val vir n groep bejaarde vroue kan
verlaag. Vroulike individue (n=22) met ‘n gemiddelde ouderdom van 79.5 jaar uit drie ouetehuise/aftree
oorde in Stellenbosch, Wes-Kaap, Suid-Afrika geleë; is volgens bepaalde insluitings- en
uitsluitingskriteria geselekteer. Individue wie ingesluit is het geen tekens of simptome van
grootskaalse kardiovaskulêre of pulmonêre siekte getoon nie, soos herken deur die “American
College of Sports Medicine (2011) ; het aan geen ernstige siektes of ko-morbiditeite gely nie;
kon stap met geen merkwaardige muskulo-skeletale afwykings nie; het geen nie-gekorrigeerde
visie of vestibulêre probleme asook geen beduidende kognitiewe gestremdhede of ernstige
sielkundige steurnisse gehad nie; het nie enige psigotropiese medikasie of Benzodiazepines
geneem wat hul kon beinvloed nie. Individue moes bereid gewees het om die 12 week
oefenintervensieprogram te volg en moes ook ‘n ingeligte toestemmingsvorm onderteken. Die
geselekteerde individue het ‘n pre- en post-intervensie assessering ondergaan wat uit ‘n
subjektiewe bepaling van hul vrees vir val bestaan het, die Val Risiko Assessering asook
“Biodex Balans System Test, Balance Evaluations Systems Test (BESTest)” asook die 30
Sekonde Stoel-staan Toets. Statistica 10 is gebruik om die data te analiseer. Data was geanaliseer
om enige merkwaardige verandering wat die oefenintervensie op elke val risiko veranderlike wat getoets was gehad het, te bepaal. Die belangrikste val risiko veranderlikes het uit: die vrees vir
val, spier sterkte, balans, stappatroon en opstaan tegnieke bestaan.
Betekenisvolle statistiese veranderinge (p<0.001) is gerapporteer in: die vrees vir val,
spiersterkte, balans, stappatroon en opstaan tegnieke na die 12 week oefenintervensieprogram.
Die studie bevind dat die intervensieprogram die potensiaal het om die risiko van val onder
bejaarde vroue te verminder en behoort ‘n uiters belangrike rol in die voorkoming van val onder
die bevolkingsgroep te speel.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/71783 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Dekenah, Ghabrielle Anne |
| Contributors | Barnard, Justhinus, Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Sport Science. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 165 p. : ill. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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