Publication Date
2026
Presentation Length
Poster/Gallery presentation
College
College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences
Department
Occupational Therapy, School of
Student Level
Graduate
Faculty Mentor
Natalie Michaels
Presentation Type
Poster
Summary
Background: Each year, thousands of people experience one or more episodes of falling, that lead to a lasting impact in function and participation in daily life. Education regarding fall prevention is often focused mainly on the older adult population, but falls can happen at any age. Fear of falling and pain-related fear exists among adults at any age. The focus of this research study was to determine if participation in an aquatic exercise program that focused on balance, core body strength, and cardiopulmonary endurance could be utilized to alleviate the fear of falling and improve performance. Methods: Eight participants completed a twice a week, four-week aquatic exercise program. Participants completed the Activity Specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC), the Falls Self-Efficacy Scale, the Functional Reach Test, and a short survey before the intervention, after the intervention, and two months following the intervention. The intervention consisted of a structured aquatic exercise program with exercises done to the beat of various types of music. Results: Of the 8 participants, only 3 showed a moderate fall-risk on the FES prior to the program. All 3 in the moderate fall-risk group, and 1 of the remaining 5 participants reported improved balance after the intervention. Paired t-testing of the functional reach scores for all 8 participants showed a statistically significant increase from pre-testing to post-testing following the intervention with a medium to large effect size (p < 0.05; d = 0.644). No significant changes were found in the ABC and Falls Self-Efficacy scale, although qualitative analysis demonstrated some possible differences. Relevance: The results of this pilot study support the use of aquatic exercise in improving functional reach and reported balance and fall efficacy. Further research utilizing a larger sample size is recommended.
Recommended Citation
Labuschagne, Antoney; Hopper, Wesley; Watson, Bailey; Ignatin, Alexis; South, Ashtyn; Dupree, Whitney; and Michaels, Natalie, "The Impact of an Aquatic Exercise Program on Self-Reported Balance and Confidence on Perceived Fall Risk: A Pilot Study" (2026). SPARK Symposium Presentations. 955.
https://repository.belmont.edu/spark_presentations/955
Included in
Occupational Therapy Commons, Other Medicine and Health Sciences Commons, Physical Therapy Commons
