EFFECTS OF STRETCHING EXERCISE AND FOOT REFLEXOLOGY MASSAGE FOR BALANCE IN DIABETES ELDERLY

Abstract

The purposes of this research were to study and compare the effects of stretching exercise and foot reflexology massage for dynamic balance in diabetes elderly. The samples were 30 women of age 60 – 75 years old. Using purposive sampling technique, then the samples were divided into 3 groups by randomly assignment method. All of those 3 groups were the control group who spent their normally lives style, the first experimental group practiced the stretching exercise while the second experimental group practiced the foot reflexology massage. The study was carried out over a period of 8 weeks, 3 days a week and 30 minute per day.   During of this study, the samples were tested the dynamic balance by agility course test item. Data then, were statistically analyzed by using one way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and LSD for multiple comparison which sets the significant difference at the level of .05.

The major findings of this study revealed that after the 8^th week the means of the dynamic balance between the control group was significant differences from the experimental 1 and the experimental 2 and the dynamic balance means between the experimental 1 and the experimental 2 were not significant differences at level of .05. Moreover, the data from this study indicated that after the 8th week, the stretching exercise and foot reflexology massage can increase the ability of the dynamic balance in diabetes elderly women.