Studies in Sport Medicine

Risk of Fall and Dynamic Balance after Aquatic Exercise at Different Depths in Elderly Women with Knee Osteoarthritis

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Faezeh Zamanian 1
Mahdi Armandnia 2
Mahdieh Gharehlar 3
Majid Vesalinaseh 4

1 Assistant Professor of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Iran University of Art, Tehran, Iran

2 Assistant professor of Department of physical education and sport science, Iran University of Art, Tehran, Iran

3 Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Ur.C., Islamic Azad University, Urmia, Iran

4 Assistant Professor Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, National University of Skill (NUS), Tehran, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22089/smj.2025.18060.1812
Abstract
The aim of this study was to compare the effect of physical training in two different depths of water (shallow and deep water) on dynamic balance, falling risk and pain in elderly women with knee osteoarthritis. 43 women (age≥55 years) with chronic knee osteoarthritis after completion the consent form and performing pretests, were matched according to body mass index, fat percentage, and dependent variables. Then, they divided randomly into three homogeneous groups including 1) shallow water (n=14), 2) deep water (n=14), 3) control group (n=15). The training intervention was designed for 8-weeks of 45-60 minutes and three-times per week. Dynamic balance, fall risk, and pain perception were measured by Star-tests, Berg questionnaire, and KOOS questionnaire, respectively. Data was analyzed using repeated measure 2 (pretest/posttest) × 3 (shallow water/deep water/control) ANOVAs and follow-up tests included LSD at p<0.05 significance level. The results showed that the dynamic balance improved and falling risk and pain decreased significantly in the shallow water group compared to the deep-water group (p<0.001) and the control group (p<0.001). while the improvement of these variables in the deep-water group was significantly more than the control group (p<0.001). Based on the research findings, it is suggested that water exercise, especially shallow water exercise, can be used as an appropriate and effective approach to improve dynamic balance, and decline the falling risk and pain for elderly people with chronic knee osteoarthritis.

Keywords

Depth
Falling risk
Balance
Elderly
Knee osteoarthritis

Subjects

Studies in Sport Medicine

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 05 August 2025

  • Receive Date 02 June 2025
  • Revise Date 30 June 2025
  • Accept Date 03 August 2025

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