The Effect Of Training Older Adults In Tai Chi And Compensatory Stepping On Balance Control, Hannah L. Moore Miss

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Abstract

Introduction: In Canadian society, there is a growing prevalence of older adults and one of the main problems facing this generation today is the risk of falling. Tai Chi (TC) is a martial art that has demonstrated improvements in balance control. It uses a series of fluid movements that engage head, neck and trunk rotation while simultaneously reducing base of support. In addition, it has been demonstrated that training older adults by administering unpredictable perturbations to challenge balance better equips them to react successfully in response to balance perturbations. This study aims to determine the potential balance specific benefits …

The Therapeutic Contributions Of Somatosensory Feedback During Exercise For Those With Parkinson's Disease, Matthew T. Lasswell

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Previous research has proposed that the somatosensory feedback generated during exercise is a key component in regards to the mechanism underlying the therapeutic effects of exercise on the motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD). This thesis aimed to further examine the contributions of different forms of somatosensory feedback during exercise in PD in order to understand the mechanism for symptom improvements that certain exercise studies report.

This randomized, controlled exercise study consisted of three treadmill groups, with the RATE and MAGNITUDE groups serving as the experimental conditions, while the CONTROL condition was an active comparator treadmill walking group. The RATE …