Sensory Interaction and Balancing Ability Evaluation of the Elderly Using a Simplified Force Plate System

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Biomechanics
• Human Movement Science

Background:

• Assessing elderly balance is crucial for fall prevention.
• The Wii Balance Board (WBB) offers a cost-effective force plate system.
• Previous studies validated WBB accuracy for balance evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the Wii Balance Board's (WBB) effectiveness in assessing elderly balance.
• To analyze sensory interaction effects on balance using an instrumented modified Clinical Test of Sensory Interaction on Balance (i-mCTSIB).
• To determine the correlation between WBB-derived center of pressure (CoP) variables and established balance scales.

Main Methods:

• An instrumented and modified Clinical Test of Sensory Interaction on Balance (i-mCTSIB) was conducted.
• Eighty-four elderly subjects participated in the study.
• Center of pressure (CoP) variables were calculated using the Wii Balance Board (WBB) under various sensory conditions.

Main Results:

• Visual conditions significantly impacted sway and proprioceptive sensory variables as complexity increased.
• Foam conditions also demonstrated significant effects on balance variables.
• No significant correlation was found between WBB-derived variables and the Berg Balance Scale.

Conclusions:

• The Wii Balance Board (WBB) is a viable tool for evaluating balance based on sensory interactions, particularly surface conditions.
• The study highlights the influence of visual and surface sensory inputs on postural control in the elderly.
• WBB's utility in assessing sensory-specific balance challenges warrants further investigation.