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Computerized Dynamic Posturography for Postural Control Assessment in Patients with Intermittent Claudication
Published on: December 11, 2013
Evaluation of postural stability in the elderly with stroke
Hélène Corriveau1, Réjean Hébert, Michel Raîche
1Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sherbrooke, 1036 Rue Belvédère S, Sherbrooke, Quebec J1H 4C4, Canada. helene.corriveau@usherbrooke.ca
Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
|July 9, 2004
Summary
Elderly stroke survivors exhibit poorer balance than healthy older adults, with greater center of pressure-center of mass (COP-COM) sway. This sway correlates with functional balance, motor skills, and sensory-motor reaction times.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Gerontology
- Neurology
Background:
- Post-stroke balance deficits significantly impact elderly individuals' quality of life and independence.
- Objective clinical and biomechanical assessments are crucial for understanding and managing balance impairments in this population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare clinical and biomechanical balance measures between elderly stroke survivors and healthy elderly individuals.
- To investigate the relationship between biomechanical balance measures and functional outcomes in post-stroke patients.
Main Methods:
- A comparative study involving 15 elderly stroke patients and 15 age-matched healthy controls.
- Utilized the center of pressure-center of mass (COP-COM) variable, measured via root mean square, to quantify postural stability.
- Assessed sensory, motor, and central processing systems contributing to postural control.
Main Results:
- Stroke patients demonstrated significantly larger COP-COM amplitudes in both anteroposterior and mediolateral directions compared to healthy controls.
- Increased COP-COM amplitudes in stroke patients correlated with lower scores on clinical balance scales (Berg, Tinetti) and poorer motor performance (Fugl-Meyer Assessment) and slower reaction times.
- Balance measures were further affected by visual conditions, with larger sway observed when eyes were closed.
Conclusions:
- The COP-COM variable accurately quantifies postural stability in elderly stroke survivors.
- Postural stability, as measured by COP-COM, is closely linked to functional balance, motor recovery, sensory perception, and reaction time in this population.
