Effects of 9-Square Exercise and Traditional Balance Exercise on Balance and Cognition in Older Women with Mild Cognitive Impairment
Keywords:
nine-square exercise, mild cognitive impairment, older adults, balance, cognitonAbstract
Background and Objectives: Older adults’ with mild cognitive impairment frequently experience significant balance issues and are at double the risk of falls. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of nine-square exercise and traditional balance exercise on balance performance and cognitive abilities in older women with mild cognitive impairment
Methods: The sample group consisted of 43 elderly female volunteers with mild cognitive impairment, aged 60-79 years, divided into three groups random simple sampling: 14 individuals in the nine-square exercise group, 14 individuals in the traditional balance exercise group, and control group of 15 non-exercising subjects. The exercise groups participated in 30 minutes of exercise per day, three time per week, for 12 weeks. Balance was evaluated using the Berg balance scale and timed up & go test, while cognition was assessed using the mini-mental state examination and the Montreal cognitive assessment. Data were analyzed by using Kruskal Wallis test and Mann Whitney U test.
Results: At the end of the study, the results showed that both the nine-square exercise group and the traditional balance exercise group demonstrated significant improvements in balance performance and cognitive abilities (p < 0.001), while no significant differences were observed in the control group. When comparing between groups after exercise, it was found that both the nine-square exercise group and the traditional exercise group showed significant improvements in balance performance and cognitive abilities (p < 0.001) compared to the control group.
Conclusions: This study concluded that exercising with nine-square exercise and traditional balance exercise improves balance ability, cognition increased significantly.
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