A comparison of the effects of a 9-box exercise program and a 10-posture exercise program on balance and leg muscle strength in elderly people at risk of falling.

Abstract

     This quasi-experimental research aimed to study and compare the effects of a 9-box exercise program with a 10-posture basic exercise program on balance and leg muscle strength in elderly people at risk of falling in Suwannakhuha Subdistrict, Suwannakhuha District, Nong Bua Lamphu Province. The study group was selected by purposive sampling. The experimental group was elderly people who met the criteria for falling and had similar ages and education levels in both groups, with 18 people in each group. The research instruments were questionnaires and assessment forms to measure physical fitness. Data were collected by distributing questionnaires and conducting physical fitness tests for the sample groups between November 1, 2023 and December 31, 2024. General data and health and health behavior data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, including percentages, means, standard deviations, and inferential statistics. The mean scores of the test values ​​were compared using a paired t-test. The differences in the mean scores of the test values ​​were compared using an independent t-test.
     The results of the study compared the results of the 9-square exercise program with the results of the 10-posture basic exercise program. Both exercise programs had results in the average score of standing balance and leg muscle strength. It was found that after the experiment, the average score was higher than before the experiment. However, the average score of moving balance was lower than before the experiment, which means that the movement was faster. This study found that the 9-square exercise program and the results of the 10-posture basic exercise program can increase the ability to stand still and move and the leg muscle strength in the elderly who participated in both programs with statistical significance (P<0.05). It was found that the highest exercise frequency behavior was less than 2 times per month or not exercising at all, accounting for 33.33 percent. In other words, before joining this research project, the elderly group had inconsistent exercise behavior according to the correct and appropriate exercise plan.