Mechanisms of postural control in older adults based on surface electromyography data

The present study aimed to clarify the mechanisms of postural control during standing in older adults and document the mechanisms of age-related motor control based on changes in muscle activities.

A total of 26 healthy male adults (older adult group, ≥65-78 years: n = 16; younger adult group, 20-23 years: n = 10) participated in this study. Ground reaction force and kinematic data of the lower limbs (hip, knee, and ankle), and electromyographic data from 6 postural muscles on the right side were recorded and quantified for each motor phase during rapid voluntary center of pressure (COP) shift.

Although hip strategy was more frequently observed in older adults than in young adults (56.3% vs. 20.0%), no muscle activity of hip agonists was observed in some (31.3%) older adults. Furthermore, older adults had a statistically significant delay in the inhibition of postural muscles during anticipatory postural adjustments (p < 0.05). After the onset of COP motion, the co-contraction time between agonists and antagonists was significantly prolonged in the older adults than in the younger adults (p < 0.05), and the reciprocal muscle pattern was unclear in the older adults. Prior to the termination of movement, agonist activity continued longer in the older adult group than in the younger adult group; that is, inhibition was insufficient in the older adult group.

A series of postural strategies during the voluntary movement task were altered in older adults, and this was significantly related not only with the activation but also the inhibition of postural muscles.