Effects of Active Vibration Swing Exercise on the Unstable Surfaces on Balance, Gait and Lower Extremity Muscular Strength for Elderly Individuals with Sarcopenia

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the impact of active vibration swing exercises performed on unstable surfaces on balance, walking ability, and lower limb muscle strength in elderly individuals with sarcopenia.Methods: Twenty-six elderly participants with sarcopenia were randomly assigned to two groups: an unstable-surface active-vibration swing exercise group (experimental group) and a stable-surface group (control group).The experimental group performed the exercises on an unstable surface, whereas the control group performed the same exercises on a stable surface.Balance was measured using the Functional Reach Test, walking ability was assessed with the Timed Up and Go Test, and lower limb muscle strength was evaluated using the Five Times Sit-to-Stand Test.Paired t-tests were conducted to examine the changes within each group, and independent t-tests were used to assess the differences between the groups.Results: Both groups demonstrated significant improvements in balance, gait, and lower extremity muscle strength following the intervention (p < 0.05).The experimental group showed significantly greater improvements across all three variables compared with the control group (p < 0.05). Conclusion:Performing active vibration swing exercises on an unstable surface is more beneficial than on a stable surface for improving balance, walking ability, and lower-limb muscle strength in elderly individuals with sarcopenia