The seniors are taking part in a study that has them running relay races and exercising at a ballet barre, and is designed to determine if certain exercises can improve older adults' balance and agility, and help them remain active and self-sufficient. Louise Gilchrist, assistant professor of physical therapy and exercise and nutrition sciences, who designed the exercises, is conducting the study under a UB-funded Mark Tanner Grant.

"Falls are such a problem in the elderly," said Gilchrist, whose expertise is in gait and balance. "Tripping on a rug might cause young people to stumble, but the elderly will fall. If we can improve balance and agility so they can stop themselves, we may be able to reduce the number of falls."

With little precedence to draw on, Gilchrist developed her own exercises. "There is some understanding that working on standing balance is helpful," she said, "but there is little evidence about agility in the elderly, because nobody has measured it particularly. Most of our agility tests are modified from tests used with children and young adults."

Wishing to work with a population of "regular people " Gilchrist recruited volunteers for the study from local senior citizen centers. If they were older than 67 and generally healthy, they were eligible. She took 15 volunteers as subjects and 19 more as controls. Participants were tested for balance and agility in UB's biomechanics lab, using measures such as walking velocity on both straight and crooked paths, postural sway and standing balance.

After the 10-week study, she will test all participants again to determine if those who took the class improved, and to compare results from the exercise and control groups. Initial tests yielded interesting data, Gilchrist said. "I was surprised at how specific the deficit can be. Some participants could move very quickly, but their standing balance was not very good. I was also surprised by the range of balance deficits, and by the realization that coordination isn't necessarily an 'age thing.'"

Physical stability, she noted, involves many factors-the eyes, inner ear, reflexes, reaction time-and a quality called proprioception, which is knowing what position your body is in. In the elderly, the ability of nerves to transmit this information to the brain is reduced. To address this, many exercises in the study include an emphasis on being aware of where the feet are.

The study class meets for an hour, three times a week. Gilchrist tries to make it fun, as well as therapeutic. Participants run obstacle courses, compete in relay races , carry medicine balls, and exercise at a ballet barre, in addition to doing more mundane exercises, such as balancing on one foot on different surfaces and rising from a kneeling position. Some participants say they notice improvement after only three weeks. "I never really knew what was wrong with me," said Hal Lawrence, at 91 the oldest participant, who said he fell and broke an arm a few years ago. "My balance has improved tremendously. I used to have to grab something to keep from falling when I turned around; now I don't do that."

Lila Marshall said she feels stronger, although the study is not designed specifically for that purpose. "I'm using muscles I haven't used for a while. My balance hasn't been good, and it's getting better. My coordination is better."

If post-study tests bear out these observations, Gilchrist hopes to convince senior citizen centers to incorporate the exercises into existing programs.