The effects of exercising on an unstable surface on the gait and balance ability of normal adults

[Purpose] This study aimed to examine that therapeutic efficacy of an unstable surface on balance and gait ability in normal individuals. [Subjects and Methods] Forty subjects participated in the experiment and were randomly assigned to an experimental group of 20 subjects and a control group of 20 subjects. The experimental group performed balance exercise on an Aero-Step device (Aero-Step XL, TOGU, Prien-Bachham, Germany). The control group performed balance exercise on rigid ground. All subjects performed balance training 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week, for 4 weeks. After the intervention, balance measuring equipment (Good Balance, Metitur, Jyvaskyla, Finland) was used to quantitatively measure balance ability. [Results] Significant differences in post-training gains in the variables of static balance, dynamic balance, and velocity were observed between the experimental group and the control group. [Conclusion] Unstable surface training aimed at improving balance ability is considered to have a positive effect.