Date of Award

8-2017

Degree Type

Creative Project

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Kinesiology and Health Science

Committee Chair(s)

Eadric Bressel

Committee

Eadric Bressel

Committee

Dennis Dolny

Committee

Brennan Thompson

Abstract

Background: Older adults tend to have difficulty maintaining balance. It has been suggested that the aquatic environment may provide a safer and more challenging alternative to land for balance training. It has also been suggested that the performance of a dual cognitive-balance task paradigm may increase the competition for cortical resources needed to maintain balance. There is a need to evaluate the influence of an aquatic environment on the performance of a combined cognitive and motor task paradigm in older adults. Purpose: To assess the effects of an aquatic environment on the performance of cognitive and motor tasks in older adults using a dual-task paradigm. Methods: Twenty-one older adults performed a cognitive and motor task separately and simultaneously on land and in water. Cognitive and motor performance measures were number of listening errors and 95% ellipse area center of pressure (balance), respectively. Results: A significant main effect for environment on listening errors was observed (p = 0.001, effect size [ES] = 0.82). Participants made 37.5% (single-task) and 72.3% (dual-task) fewer listening errors when performing the auditory vigilance test in water versus land respectively. A significant main effect of environment on CoP sway was observed (p = 0.003, ES = -1.19). CoP sway areas were 58.3% (single-task) and 64.4% (dual-task) greater in water versus land respectively. Conclusion: Results suggest that older adults make fewer ‘cognitive’ errors when immersed in water compared to on land. This may be beneficial to older adults who are involved in aquatic-based exercise and rehabilitation.

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