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Postural control in elderly subjects.

I Pyykkö1, P Jäntti, H Aalto

  • 1Department of Otolaryngology, University Hospital of Helsinki, Finland.

Age and Ageing
|May 1, 1990
PubMed
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Very elderly individuals exhibit greater postural sway. Disrupting lower limb sensory input did not worsen stability, suggesting a reliance on vision for balance in older adults.

Area of Science:

  • Gerontology
  • Biomechanics
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • Postural stability declines with age, increasing fall risk in the elderly.
  • Sensory systems (somatosensory, visual, vestibular) are crucial for maintaining balance.
  • Understanding age-related changes in postural control is vital for fall prevention strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the postural stability of very elderly individuals (85+ years).
  • To examine the impact of sensory perturbation on postural control in the elderly.
  • To determine the contribution of visual input to postural stability in older adults.

Main Methods:

  • Force platform measurements were used to assess postural sway in 23 elderly subjects (85+ years).
  • Sensory function was perturbed using calf muscle vibrators (muscle spindles) and foam plastic (pressoreceptors).

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  • Elderly subjects' stability was compared to a younger control group (100 subjects, 50-60 years).

    • Main Results:

    • Elderly subjects showed significantly higher sway velocities than younger controls under non-perturbed conditions.
    • Perturbing muscle spindles or pressoreceptors did not further destabilize the elderly participants.
    • Visual deprivation significantly impacted postural stability, indicating a ~50% reliance on visual cues.

    Conclusions:

    • Very elderly individuals have reduced postural control, likely due to sensory cue loss and deteriorated stretch reflexes.
    • The elderly heavily rely on visual input for maintaining posture.
    • This reliance on slower visual processing may contribute to their increased susceptibility to falls.