The influence of dynamic visual environments on postural sway in the elderly

Postural sway during stance has been found to be sensitive to moving visual scenes in young adults, children, and those with vestibular disease. The effect of visual environments on balance in elderly individuals is relatively unknown. The purpose of this study was to compare postural sway responses of healthy elderly to those of young subjects when both groups were exposed to a moving visual scene. Peak to peak, root mean squared, and mean velocity of the center of pressure were analyzed under conditions combining four moving scene amplitudes (2.5o, 5o, 7.5o, 10o) and two frequencies of scene movement (0.1 Hz, 0.25 Hz). Each visual condition was tested with a fixed floor and sway referenced platform. Results showed that elderly subjects swayed more than younger subjects when experiencing a moving visual scene under all conditions. The elderly were affected more than the young be sway referencing the platform. The differences between the two age groups were greater at increased amplitudes of scene movement. These results suggest that elderly are more influenced by dynamic visual information for balance than the young, particularly when cues from the ankles are altered.