Balance control in the elderly: do Masters athletes show more efficient balance responses than healthy older adults?

Older adults can improve several components of their balance such as timed stance ability by participating in a short specific exercise program. However, it is not clear whether participation in more frequent and intense training can result in improved reactive balance performance in older adults. Optimal reactive responses are required to prevent falls. This study begins to evaluate this issue by comparing the reactive balance ability of elite older adults (Masters athletes) to that of healthy older adults.

Kinetic and electromyography data were collected from elite older athletes and healthy older adults during backward linear underfoot perturbations at high and low speeds. Behavioral outcomes of postural recovery strategy, timing and levels of muscular activation, and time to stabilize the displaced center of pressure were measured and compared between groups.

The elite older athletes were able to more frequently regain balance without stepping, stabilized their center of pressure faster than did healthy older adults and activated their tibialis anterior with a greater magnitude when perturbed at the higher speed. There were no differences between groups in these measures at the lower perturbation speed and no differences in onset latencies at either speed.

Older athletes undertaking longterm high intensity training demonstrate better and more rapid stabilization of posture following perturbation than healthy older adults under challenging conditions. Further studies are advocated to determine the relative contribution of processes such as neuromotor adaptation, strength, motivation and arousal to this finding.