The Changes in Postural Stability of Women in Early Old Age

Age is one of the most frequent reasons mentioned for the deterioration in human postural stability. Involution processes associated with a deterioration of stability are primarily: a slowing of the motor reactions related to a decline in the average conduction rate of nerve impulses, loss of muscle mass, loss of receptors in the balance controlling organs, and a decrease in visual acuity. The aim of this study was to determine in which organ, responsible for controlling human balance, changes will already appear in early old age, and whether these changes can be diagnosed using CDP.

The study was conducted on a group of 141 women (41 elderly aged 65.5 ± 4.6 years, 100 young women aged 20.7 ± 1.2 years). The posturographic study was carried out using the dynamic EquiTest posturograph manufactured by NeuroCom International. The study protocol included the Sensory Organisation Test (SOT), the Motor Control Test (MCT) and the Adaptation Test (ADT).

The SOT results show significantly greater displacements of the body's Centre of Gravity projected onto the posture plane in the anterior-posterior direction in the elderly under all test conditions. The Latencies, determined from MCT, differed significantly between the two groups under all test conditions.

In women aged over 60, the perception of stimuli received by the visual and vestibular organs is impaired and their proficiency in controlling body balance is lower. Thus, they are more likely to adopt a hip strategy to maintain balance.