Balance Training May Reduce Fall Risk in Older Adults With Type 2 Diabetes

Endocrinology Advisor reports a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association finds that balance training may help to reduce the risk for falls in older adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Such training improves reaction times, lower limb proprioception, and postural sway, according to the study. Researchers recruited 65 older adults with T2D and randomly assigned them into 2 groups: supervised balance training or unsupervised at-home training, using the Nintendo Wii Fit balance board for 12 weeks. The participants were required to complete three 40-minute sessions per week, for a total of 36 sessions. Both training programs resulted in a significant lowering of falls risk. The reduced falls risk occurred without significant changes in leg strength, suggesting that interventions to reduce falls risk that target intrinsic risk factors related to balance control (over muscle strength) may have positive benefits for older adults with T2DM at risk for falls.