Attention, sensory integration, and motor planning are the sub-domains of executive function associated with risk of falls through gait dysfunction. mobility cycle. Here are a few pertinent ones. This study evaluated the effects of resistive exer-cise (RE) with head rotation exercise (RE+HRE) on postural balance, lower limb muscle strength, and gait in older women. This is a dual task study. They are including head rotation exercises which is a powerful means of stimulating the vestibular system and restoring proper proprioceptive sense to the cervical muscles, brain stem and brain(cog-nitive/motor).Their findings suggest that RE+HRE can improve dynamic postural balance, lower limb strength, gait speed, and cadence in older women(13). Another study looking at the effectiveness of exercise intervention to control dynamic postural stability under unstable conditions in old www.Cndoctor.ca adults(65-80), found that a training program focus-ing on exercising mechanisms of dynamic stability in unstable conditions ie., dual task, enhanced muscle strength as well as sensory information processing within the motor system during balance tasks, reducing the risk of falls in old adults(14). Lack of stability with gait/mobility is caused also by age-related neuromuscular changes in the hip abductor-adductor muscles leading to reduced performance, causing more medio-lateral sway contributing to balance issues and falls. When power training was introduced into the program, ie. strengthening the hip muscles, it was found to be more effective than strength training at eliciting improvements in maximal neuromuscular perfor-mance and enhanced medio-lateral balance recov-ery(15). Is there a reliable, easy and cost efficient way to measure body strength in the aging person? By reviewing the studies, stand-alone handgrip strength can be considered an umbrella assessment of the body systems that contribute to strength capacity, and a panoptic measurement of muscle strength that is representative of overall health status(16). Results in older adults found that mus-cle weakness of the leg extensors and forearm flexors is related to slow gait speed and is suitable for screening for muscle weakness in older adults(17). Handgrip strength can also be used in clinical settings for helping to determine the onset and progression of cognitive impairment(18). Looking specifically at the musculoskeletal sys-tem and how it affects gait/mobility of older adults, recent studies show that tibialis anterior and vastus lateralis muscles deserve attention in physical train-ing for gait. Specifically, tibialis anterior strength helps with obstacle crossing, and vastus lateralis assists knee extensors when aiming at improving gait speed and step length(19). But we should also condition the entire body, because the entire sys-tem functions as a unit, muscles affect the brain and visa versa. After a 12 week program of regular resistance exercises, the elderly group showed sig-nificant increases in the average upper body strength (58%), lower body strength (68%), and cognitive capacity (19%), these benefits bring en-hanced life quality(20). For a complete neuro-mus-culoskeletal effect, adding plyometric training, which is safe training when done correctly, has potential for improving various performance, func-tional, and health-related outcomes in older per-sons(21). Balance training over a lifespan can improve vestibular function and decrease postural deterio-ration. This training effect can contribute to the physical capabilities of the person functioning as been 10 years younger(22). The balance training is inducing structural neuroplasticity in the human brain and to enhance cognitive functions. A September/October 2021 Chiropractic and Naturopathic Doctor 9
Chiropractic + Naturopathic Doctor September/October 2021: Page 9
