RETROSPECTIVE EVALUATION OF A COMMUNITY-BASED ELASTIC BAND EXERCISE PROGRAM USING A BALANCE PAD IN RURAL OLDER WOMEN.

BACKGROUND: Older women living in rural areas may have limited access to structured exercise programs and are vulnerable to declines in muscle strength and balance. This study evaluated changes after an 8-week community-based exercise program using elastic-band exercise performed on a balance pad. METHODS: This retrospective observational study included 38 community-dwelling older women who participated in a rural musculoskeletal disorder prevention program. The program was conducted once weekly for 8 weeks, with 30-minute sessions. Grip strength, Functional Reach Test (FRT), and Korean Falls Efficacy Scale-International (KFES-I) scores were assessed before and after the program. Subgroup analyses were also performed according to fall experience in the previous 12 months. RESULTS: After the intervention, significant improvements were observed in left grip strength (20.95±3.74 vs. 23.14±3.93 kg, p<0.001), right grip strength (21.33±2.57 vs. 23.82±2.58 kg, p<0.001), FRT-left (25.47±3.43 vs. 28.50±3.28 cm, p<0.001), and FRT-right (25.82±3.57 vs. 28.61±3.44 cm, p<0.001). KFES-I scores significantly decreased from 60.24±3.679 to 56.45±5.75 (p<0.001), indicating improved fall-related self-efficacy. In subgroup analyses according to fall experience, both groups showed significant within-group changes in all variables. However, between-group differences in change scores should be interpreted cautiously because the subgroup analyses were exploratory and limited by small sample sizes. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that an 8-week elastic-band exercise program performed on a balance pad may be a feasible low-cost community-based intervention for rural older women. However, because of the retrospective single-group design, the findings should be interpreted cautiously, and further controlled studies are needed to confirm effectiveness.