Effect of Combining Cawthorne-Cooksey and Frenkel Exercises on Functional Balance and Fall Risk in the Elderly With a History of Falling

 Decreased balance in the elderly is associated with an increase in the risk of falling. The present study aims to evaluate the effect of combining Cawthorne-Cooksey and Frenkel exercises on functional balance and risk of falling in the elderly with a history of falling.

 This is a quasi-experimental study. Participants were 28 eldery men and women with a history of falls living in nursing homes in Rasht, Iran. They participated voluntarily, were selected based on the entry and exit criteria, and were randomly divided into two groups: exercise (n=14) and control (n=14). The exercise group performed the combined Cawthorne-Cooksey+Frenkel exercise program for six weeks, three sessions per week, each for 60 minutes. The berg balance scale was used to evaluate the functional balance, and the timed up and go test was used for assessing the risk of falling. The paired t-test was used for within-group comparison and the analysis of covariance was used for between-group comparison. Statistical analysis was performed in SPSS v. 26 software. The significance level was set at 0.05.

 The results of paired t-test showed that the balance score (P= 0.007) and the risk of falling (P= 0.001) in the exercise group improved significantly after the intervention, while these scores were not significantly improved in the control group. The results of analysis of covariance showed that the two groups were significantly different in balance and risk of falling after the combined exercise.

 The combination of Cawthorne-Cooksey and Frenkel exercises can have a positive effect on functional balance and the risk of falling in the elderly. These exercises can be used to improve balance and reduce falling the vestibular and vision systems.