Neuromuscular Controller Models for Quantifying Standing Balance in Older People: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics and Motor Control
• Geriatric Healthcare Technology

Background:

• Objective quantification of human balancing mechanisms is essential for elder care but lacking in clinical assessments.
• Current methods for assessing balance in older adults are insufficient, necessitating the exploration of advanced techniques.

Approach:

• A systematic literature review of 1064 articles from PubMed and IEEE Xplore databases was conducted.
• 73 studies identifying neuromuscular controller models of human upright standing from empirical data were reviewed and categorized.
• Analysis focused on the clinical utility of these methods for individuals over 60, with special attention to 16 studies including older subjects.

Key Points:

• Most reviewed methods focus on general balance control research rather than direct clinical application.
• Only a subset of studies specifically addressed balance assessment in older populations.
• Significant gaps exist in adapting advanced balance quantification methods for widespread clinical use in geriatrics.

Conclusions:

• Developing objective balance assessment tools is critical for improving healthcare for older adults.
• Further research is needed to adapt existing neuromuscular modeling techniques for accessible, mobile technologies.
• Validation of these methods for assessing balance in the general older population is a key future direction.