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Related Experiment Videos

Postural stability in the elderly: a comparison between fallers and non-fallers.

I Melzer1, N Benjuya, J Kaplanski

  • 1Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and Key Institute of Education, PO Box 653, Beer-Sheva, Israel.

Age and Ageing
|October 27, 2004
PubMed
Summary

Identifying elderly fallers can be improved by assessing balance control in a narrow base stance. Impaired two-point discrimination (TPD) also indicates a higher risk of falls in older adults.

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Area of Science:

  • Gerontology
  • Biomechanics
  • Neurology

Background:

  • Identifying specific risk factors for falls in community-dwelling elderly individuals is crucial for targeted fall prevention strategies.
  • Understanding the biomechanical and sensory underpinnings of falls is essential for developing effective interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy of various biomechanical measures of postural stability in distinguishing between elderly fallers and non-fallers.
  • To investigate the relationship between balance control, lower limb strength, and sensory function (two-point discrimination) with recurrent falls in older adults.

Main Methods:

  • Recruited 19 elderly fallers and 124 non-fallers for a comparative study.
  • Assessed postural stability using a force platform in six different conditions and the Limits of Stability Test.

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  • Measured static two-point discrimination (TPD) of the foot and maximal isometric lower limb strength.

    • Main Results:

    • Elderly fallers exhibited significantly increased mediolateral sway when maintaining a narrow base stance compared to non-fallers.
    • Two-point discrimination (TPD) was found to be impaired in elderly fallers, indicating reduced innervation density.
    • Maximal isometric lower limb strength did not show significant differences between the groups.

    Conclusions:

    • Postural control during narrow base stance is a valuable indicator for identifying elderly individuals at risk of falling.
    • Impaired TPD is associated with recurrent falls in the elderly population.
    • Simple, quantitative laboratory tests can effectively differentiate fallers from non-fallers, suggesting potential clinical utility for fall risk screening.