The C.A.M. Report
Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Fair, Balanced, and to the Point

Archive for the 'Balance Training' Category

Does Pilates improved balance?

Tuesday, February 21st, 2012

Researchers at the University of Tasmania, in Launceston, evaluated the effects of a Pilates on balance and function in community-dwelling elderly adults. (more…)

Tai chi benefits in Parkinson’s disease

Monday, February 20th, 2012

Patients with Parkinson’s disease have impaired balance, which affects function and increases the risk of falling. Exercise is routinely encouraged by healthcare providers, but few programs have been proven effective.

Researchers at the Oregon Research Institute, in Eugene, studied whether a tailored tai chi program could improve postural control in patients with Parkinson’s disease. (more…)

Reviewing the reviews of tai chi

Sunday, November 20th, 2011

Prof. Ernst and a colleague critically evaluated the systematic reviews of tai chi for any improvement of medical conditions or clinical symptoms. (more…)

Lower your risk of falling

Sunday, July 17th, 2011

A multifactorial fall-risk assessment including a fall history, physical exam, gait and balance evaluation, and environmental assessment is recommended for all older adults who have fallen or have a problem with gait or balance, according to Dr. Sara Bradley, assistant professor of geriatrics and palliative medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, in New York City. (more…)

Tai chi vs Western exercise in healthy, elderly adults

Wednesday, February 9th, 2011

The benefits differ.

And, the response to tai chi is long-lasting, according to researchers at the University of Arizona, in Tucson. (more…)

Effects of the Wii Balance Board in patients with multiple sclerosis

Monday, October 18th, 2010

During the 26th Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS), researchers at the AISM Rehabilitation Center in Genoa, Italy, compared Wii to a traditional rehabilitation program in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). (more…)

Benefits of balance and tone exercise in older women

Tuesday, September 7th, 2010

Researchers at the University of British Columbia, in Vancouver, Canada studied the effects on cognitive function. (more…)

Feldenkrais method improves balance in older adults

Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010

Researchers from The University of Melbourne, in Victoria, Australia report “Feldenkrais Method balance classes may improve mobility and balance in older adults.” (more…)

Another positive study of Feldenkrais in the elderly

Sunday, January 17th, 2010

It’s the third study in the past year.

This time from researchers at the University of South Carolina, in Columbia. (more…)

May is stroke month

Friday, May 1st, 2009

 So, here’s a list of studies on CAM and stroke that were published in the past year. (more…)

Preventing falls in the elderly

Monday, February 16th, 2009

Back in 2004, Dr. John Chang from the David Geffen School of Medicine in Los Angeles reported, “Interventions to prevent falls significantly reduce the proportion of older people who fall at least once.”

Reviewers since then have disagreed. (more…)

Balance training after stroke

Friday, June 6th, 2008

Standing balance deficits are common after stroke. One way to address these deficits is to provide feedback from a force platform while balance activities are performed. (more…)

The value of physiotherapy following stroke

Thursday, April 24th, 2008

Physiotherapy (or physical therapy) is defined as the treatment of disease by physical exercise, massage, or other manipulative body-based methods — not drugs. Wikipedia has a good overview.

Cochrane has judged the evidence. (more…)

Balance training to prevent falls in the elderly

Sunday, November 19th, 2006

Fall-related injuries are the leading cause of injury, deaths, and disabilities among adults older than 65 years. Minimizing the fall risk is a practical approach to reducing these serious injuries.

One strategy is balance training.

(more…)