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Related Experiment Videos

Postural responses and effector factors in persons with unexplained falls: results and methodologic issues.

S Studenski1, P W Duncan, J Chandler

  • 1Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina.

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
|March 1, 1991
PubMed
Summary

Older adults with unexplained falls show significant impairments in effector factors like ankle strength and range of motion. Automatic postural responses may need further development for studying balance issues.

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Area of Science:

  • Gerontology
  • Biomechanics
  • Neurology

Background:

  • Unexplained falls are a significant concern in older populations, impacting mobility and independence.
  • Assessing balance and the underlying physiological factors is crucial for fall prevention strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate automatic postural responses and effector factors in older adults experiencing unexplained falls.
  • To compare these factors between individuals with falls and healthy older controls.

Main Methods:

  • Evaluated 10 individuals with unexplained falls and 24 older controls using clinical balance tests.
  • Measured automatic postural responses, including tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius latency.
  • Assessed effector factors: ankle strength (dorsiflexion, plantarflexion) and range of motion.

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Main Results:

  • Fallers exhibited greater instability on clinical balance tests compared to controls.
  • Significant impairments were observed in fallers regarding ankle strength and range of motion.
  • Prolonged tibialis anterior latency was noted in fallers, but gastrocnemius latency and EMG sequence measures showed no differences.

Conclusions:

  • Effector factors, particularly ankle strength and mobility, appear more compromised than automatic postural responses in older adults with unexplained falls.
  • Current methods for analyzing automatic postural responses may require refinement for effective application in geriatric balance research.