Effect of water exercise on balance and related factors in older people.

Fifteen subjects enrolled to take part in a water exercise programme (mean age = 69.7 years) and 13 control subjects (mean age 72.6 years) underwent assessments of quadriceps and ankle dorsiflexion strength, reaction time, neuromuscular control, body sway, flexibility and joint pain. All subjects were then retested for the same measures after completion of the nine-week programme. The experimental subjects showed improved quadriceps strength and reduced body sway when compared with the control group. There was also a trend towards increased flexibility, improved reaction times and reduced joint pain in the experimental group.