Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Abstract

Background and Aim: Improving the affective factors of balance could be a critical procedure in managing the elderly's balance dysfunction. The goal of this study was to determine the effect of eight weeks foot reflexology on balance and ankle joint proprioception error in elderly men.
Materials and Methods: This semi-empirical study was designed as pre-test - post-test with two empirical - control groups. The sample of study were 30 healthy elderly men, aged 60 to 80 years and located in the Farsan, selected among 100 elderly men. The subjects were randomly divided into two groups included empirical group (15 man) with mean age 76.58±7.93 (years) and exercising reflexology and control group (15man) with mean age 77.64±6.27 (years). The amount of error in the reconstruction of the ankle joint angles in inversion and eversion andstatic and dynamic balance time was measured in pre test and post test of each group. Intervention group was performed 30 minutes reflexology foot in both feet (for each foot 15 minutes) and 3 sessions per week during eight week. Data was analyzes using paired and independent t test at significant level of pResults: The results showed that there was no significant difference between the two groups' error average in reconstructing of the joint angles before the intervention. The results of an independent t-test showed that there was no significant difference between the two groups' error average in reconstructing joint angles before the intervention (p>0.05). However, after the intervention it has been shown that there was significant difference in error average and static and dynamic of the empirical group than the control group (p<0.05).
Conclusion: Based on findings of this study it can be concluded that foot reflexology may improve static and dynamic balance and ankle proprioception in elderly men.

Keywords

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