The effect of neurofeedback and somatosensory exercises on balance and physical performance of elderly individuals: A parallel single-blinded randomized controlled trial

Abstract This study explores the impact of 5 weeks of neurofeedback and somatosensory exercises on balance and physical performance in elderly communities, aiming to mitigate age-related declines in sensory processing and motor function. Sixty healthy elderly men were randomly assigned to one of three groups: neurofeedback + somatosensory training, somatosensory training alone, or a control group. The interventions were conducted over a period of 5 weeks, with three sessions per week. Before and after interventions, static balance by Stork test, dynamic balance by Timed up and Go test and physical performance by Continuous Scale-Physical Functional Performance-10 (CS-PFP—10) test were measured. Significant improvements were observed in balance and physical performance among healthy elderly men following 5 weeks of neurofeedback + somatosensory training or somatosensory training alone. The Stork test (open and closed eyes) and Timed Up and Go test demonstrated significant reductions in duration across both intervention groups (p = 0.001), indicating improved balance and mobility. However, no significant difference was observed among groups in the CS-PFP-10 test (p = 0.066). The results demonstrated that incorporating neurofeedback training into somatosensory exercises can offer benefits for healthy elderly individuals in terms of balance and mobility parameters.