The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of two exercise programs on balance in elderly, ambulatory people. Thirteen residents of a long term care facility were randomly assigned to a control (n = 7) or experimental group (n = 6). Both groups received supervised exercise twice each week for eight weeks. The control group performed "traditional" exercises while the experimental group performed the same traditional exercises plus exercises on a Swiss gymnastics ball. Each subject's balance was tested before and after the exercise program using the Tinetti Assessment Tool. Both groups demonstrated non-significant increases in balance scores following completion of the exercise program. Individuals with initial balance scores less than 19 did not improve regardless of the exercise program. Subjects with initial scores greater than 21 displayed improvements in their final scores. These findings suggest the initial balance score, not the type of exercise program, may be a critical factor for improving balance in the elderly.
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