The effect of balance exercises and computerized cognitive training on psychomotor performance in elderly.
Morteza Taheri, Khadijeh Irandoust
PMID 29643582WHAT IT FOUND
In 29 elderly women, balance training, computerized cognitive training, and their combination each improved accuracy and reaction time on two computer tests.
The combined group showed the largest changes, but the study was small and randomisation was not reported.
Key findings
01On the Visual Pursuit test, accuracy improved and reaction time shortened in the balance, computerized cognitive training, and combined groups, while the control group changed little.
02The combined balance and computerized cognitive training group showed greater improvement than the single intervention groups on both tests.
03The same pattern appeared on the Determination test, with accuracy increasing and reaction time decreasing in all intervention groups.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study included only 29 women aged 63 to 71 who could walk independently and had not fallen in the past year, so it does not show what would happen in more frail or fall-prone older adults. The paper does not report randomisation or blinding, so group differences may be due to factors other than the training. The control group's activities are not described, making it hard to know what the comparison condition was. The outcomes were computer test scores, not falls, balance function, or daily activity. The paper states 29 participants, while the tables list group sizes of 7, 8, 8, and 7.
Declared interests
The paper does not report funding or conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that balance plus computerized cognitive training prevents falls or improves daily function. The study measured only computer test scores in 29 older women, did not report randomisation or blinding, and did not assess falls or functional outcomes.