Effects of Mental Practice on Balance in the Elderly

Mental practice refers to "The symbolic rehearsal of a physical activity in the absence of any gross muscular movements." It has been shown in a remarkable number of studies that the use of mental practice like physical practice can produces significant improvements in motor skills. Thus this therapeutic technique can be used in elderly rehabilitation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of mental practice on balance in the elderly. Thirty healthy old subject over the age of 60 years took part in this study. Subjects solicited from two senior-citizen centers in Tehran and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. Balance of subjects was assessed in four stage include baseline, pre-treatment, post-treatment and follow-up. Subjects in experimental group performed mental practice of a motor and balance skill for 3 weeks and control group did not perform any practice in that period. The results of this study indicate significant improvement in the motor skill that mentally performed and also in balance of subjects. Mental Practice that performed on the mental skill not only was mentaly effective but also meaningly cause the improvement of balance in elderly.