Static postural balance in healthy individuals: Comparisons between three age groups

Abstract

The aim of the study was to compare static postural balance of healthy individuals of three age groups in different conditions of support and vision. Seventy one individuals, divided into 3 groups, were analyzed: young group (YG: 22.2 ± 2.1 years), middle aged group (MAG: 50.7 ± 5.7 years) and older individuals group (EG: 66.8 ± 5.4 years). Their balance was tested on a force platform, under 3 support and 3 visual conditions. Measures included: total (TD), anterior-posterior (APD) and mediolateral displacement (MLD) of the center of pressure (CoP). ANOVA revealed significant differences for interactions between group X support conditions and group X visual conditions for the 3 variables (p<0.01), with greater displacements for the MAG and EG groups during single-leg stance with partial and occluded vision (p<0.05). Static postural balance decreased over time in healthy individuals, and conditions of support and visual negatively affected balance with the increment of age.

Comparison of body balance in active elderly and young adults

“…The increase in body oscillations could be regarded as the beginning of changes in the postural control, which corresponds to the aging process. The findings in this study are consistent with the proposals of authors such as Pereira et al 19 and Yeh et al 20 . The authors state that static postural balance decreased over time in healthy individuals.…”

“…Differences are also important in order to confront the literature that relates the risk of falls with the center of pressure data, mainly in the mediolateral direction 19 . These differences, as observed in Tables 2 and 3, can demonstrate the tendency for risk of falls in the elderly population, since they present significantly higher values.…”

Fisioterapia: uma abordagem contemporânea - Volume 5

“…Ademais, também como fatores desencadeantes de alterações posturais, Pereira et al (2014) mostraram, a partir de um estudo com diferentes grupos etários, que fatores visuais e próprios do envelhecimento progressivamente têm um papel decisivo, considerando que afetam o equilíbrio corporal com consequente efeito na postura. Viana et al (2015), em seu estudo para buscar relações entre as DTM e a postura cervical, verificaram que a acentuação da lordose cervical implica na maior dificuldade em abrir a boca em indivíduos com alguma disfunção temporomandibular, além de apontarem a anteriorização da cabeça como forma de compensação à retrusão mandibular causada por disfunções na região.…”

Postural Balance in Relation with Vision and Physical Activity in Healthy Young Adults

“…Poor postural control performance has been associated with lateral ankle instability [15]. Previous research pointed out that postural balance in healthy individuals decreases over time; conditions of support and vision can negatively affect groups of older age [16].…”