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Association between sensorimotor function and functional and reactive balance control in the elderly.
Sang-I Lin1, Marjorie Woollacott
1Department of Physical Therapy, National Cheng Kung University, No 1 Ta-Hsueh Rd, Tainan, Taiwan 701. lin31@mail.ncku.edu.tw
Age and Ageing
|May 19, 2005
Summary
Older adults
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Biomechanics
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Postural disturbances are common in the elderly, impacting daily activities and increasing fall risk.
- Understanding sensorimotor factors is crucial for addressing balance issues in older adults.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify sensorimotor factors associated with functional balance and reactive postural control in the elderly.
- To differentiate the factors influencing these two types of balance.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving healthy young adults and two groups of older adults (stable and unstable).
- Assessed clinical vibration sense, lower extremity muscle strength, and functional balance (FB).
- Measured reactive postural muscle responses to support surface translations.
Main Results:
- Muscle strength and FB differed significantly between older adult groups.
- Ankle dorsi- and plantar-flexor strength predicted FB in older adults, independent of age.
- No significant sensorimotor predictors were found for reactive postural responses.
Conclusions:
- Functional and reactive balance rely on different underlying factors.
- Clinical assessments should consider functional and reactive balance separately for older adults.