Physical Activity to Promote Healthy Aging-Balance Performance in Elderly People

身體活動促進老年族群之健康－老年族群之平衡表現

林桑伊(Sang-I Lin)

《物理治療》 30卷6期 (2005/12) Pp. 315-324

摘要

維持軀幹與下肢直立是人類獨有的特徵，良好的站立平衡能力是執行日常生活動作的必要條件，因此也是能享有獨立與健康生活的基石。對老年人而言，失去獨立自主功能以及跌倒是兩項主要的隱憂，而平衡能力受損則與這兩項問題有顯著相關，由此可見平衡能力在老年人的福祉上扮有重要的角色。然而平衡能力常伴隨年齡增長而變差，不論是在維持不同的站姿、執行不同的動態平衡動作、或在平衡受到挑戰時做出適當的反應，都會產生問題。有鑑於此，提升老年人平衡能力的必要性就顯得格外的迫切了。探討身體活動對老年人平衡能力的影響的研究有很多，對於效果有多大、特殊訓練計畫的成效、以及不同族群的進步空間等方面目前尚無共通的結論；不過可確定的是身體活動的確可改善老年人的平衡能力。因此物理治療專業應站在領導者的角色來推動以身體活動來改善老年人的平衡能力，以達到促進健康老化的目的。

關鍵字

老年 ； 身體活動 ； 平衡 ； 跌倒

並列摘要

Maintaining upright is an unique feature of human beings and the basis for active and healthy life. Two of the greatest concerns for the elderly, functional dependence and falling, have been reported to be closely related to impaired balance performance. Thus, it is clear that balance performance plays a prominent role in the well beings of older adults. However, aging is typically accompanied by deteriorations in balance ability. Problems in maintaining various static standing postures, performing dynamic balance tasks, or responding to balance threats are common among the elderly. In order to lessen the problems and to avoid their further complications, it is imperative to advance balance performance in older population. There is a large body of research aiming at determining the effect of physical activities on balance performance in the elderly. No universal conclusion regarding the extent of the effect, effectiveness of specific physical training programs, or the potential for improvement in different populations has been made. In spite of the differences in research methodologies and findings, it is generally agreed upon that physical activities can affect age-related decline in balance performance. Thus, the profession of physical therapy should take a leading role in advocating the use of physical activities to improve balance performance in the elderly to promote active and healthy aging.

並列關鍵字

Aging ； Physical activity ； Balance ； Fall