Effectiveness of a Mini-Trampoline Training Program on Balance and Functional Mobility, Gait Performance, Strength, Fear of Falling and Bone Mineral Density in Older Women with Osteopenia

Abstract

Purpose

To evaluate the effectiveness of a combined balance-, strength-, and jumping-exercise intervention on a mini-trampoline performed by older women with osteopenia on static balance and functional mobility, gait speed, strength of the upper and lower limbs, fear of falling, as well as to investigate its influence on bone mineral density (BMD).

Patient and methods

Using a randomized controlled study design, participants (range: 56–83 years) were assigned either to the intervention group (IG; n=20, mean age 69.6 ± 5.3 years) performing a specifically tailored intervention on a mini-trampoline or to the control group (CG; n=20, 67.4 ± 6.8 years), that did not undertake any intervention beyond regular osteopenia treatment. The intervention was performed twice a week for 12 weeks, each session lasting 45–60 mins and consisted of balance, strength and jumping exercises. Static balance and functional mobility was measured by one-leg stance (OLS) and timed up and go test (TUG). Upper and lower limb strength was evaluated by the arm curl test (ACT) and the 30-s chair stand test (CST) whereas gait speed was measured by the 6 m walking test (WT). Fear of falling was measured using the Falls Efficacy Scale – International (FES-I). BMD was measured at the lumbar spine and femoral neck using Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA).

Results

Significant interactions (group x time) were found for all parameters (p<0.001) except for BMD, measured at the lumbar spine (p=0.064) and femoral neck (p=0.073). All test parameters of balance and functional mobility tests (OLS, TUG), strength tests (ACT, CST), WT, FES-I and BMD (femoral neck) showed significant improvement in the IG (p<0.05).

Conclusion

The combined 12-week intervention was highly effective in improving balance and functional mobility, strength, gait performance and fear of falling in patients with osteopenia.

Keywords:

• osteopenia
• fracture risk
• risk of falling
• bone mineral density
• mini-trampoline
• training intervention

Acknowledgments

The authors are deeply grateful to the whole team of the Fliplab Vienna (Austria) for the constructive collaboration and for providing facilities and equipment. Furthermore, the authors would like to thank all participants who took part in the study.

Author Contributions

Markus Posch: conceptualization, methodology, formal analysis, investigation, resources, data curation, roles/writing - original draft, writing – review and editing, visualization, supervision, project administration. Alois Schranz: conceptualization, methodology, formal analysis, resources, data curation, roles/writing - original draft, writing – review and editing, supervision, project administration. Manfred Lener: conceptualization, methodology, formal analysis, resources, data curation, roles/writing - original draft, writing – review and editing, supervision. Katja Tecklenburg: conceptualization, methodology, formal analysis, resources, data curation, roles/writing - original draft, writing – review and editing. Martin Burtscher: conceptualization, methodology, formal analysis, investigation, data curation, roles/writing - original draft, writing – review and editing, supervision. Gerhard Ruedl: conceptualization, methodology, formal analysis, investigation, data curation, roles/writing - original draft, writing – review and editing, supervision. Martin Niedermeier: conceptualization, methodology, formal analysis, investigation, data curation, roles/writing - original draft, writing – review and editing, supervision. Werner Wlaschek: conceptualization, methodology, formal analysis, resources, data curation, roles/writing - original draft, writing – review and editing, supervision, project administration. All authors contributed to data analysis, drafting or revising the article, gave final approval of the version to be published, and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Disclosure

The authors declare no potential conflicts of interests with respect to the research, authorship and/or publication of this article.