Ageing Population and Balance Under Stressful Conditions-A Cross-Sectional Observational Study

Background/Objectives: Falls are a major global issue for older adults, and emotional stress may increase the risk due to its effects on postural control and balance. However, the immediate effects of a stressful stimulus on objective measures of balance and fall risk are unknown. The study aims to explore differences in older adults' performance on the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test before and after such exposure. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 31 older adults (71.6 ± 4.98 years) were exposed to an emotionally stressful stimulus using high-arousal images from the International Affective Picture System. Participants performed the TUG before (t1) and after (t2) exposure as the primary outcome measure. To assess the physiological and psychological impact of the stressful stimulus, heart rate variability (HRV) was recorded before and during image viewing. A visual analogue scale (VAS) of unease was completed both before and after the stimulus. Results: During the stressful stimulus, the HRV high-frequency (HF) band decreased significantly (p = 0.001), while the low-frequency (LF) band (p = 0.002) and the LF/HF ratio (p = 0.004) showed a significant increase. Similarly, after stressful stimulus, VAS scores demonstrated a statistically significant increase (p < 0.001). The time to complete the TUG showed a statistically significant increase at t2 (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The stressful stimulus triggered both physiological and subjective stress responses. Subsequently, TUG test performance declined (increased duration), suggesting that emotionally stressful stimuli could deteriorate functional balance performance in older adults, potentially increasing fall risk.