[Age-related features of postural control among elderly women with fear of falling.]

Fear of falling, also known as basophobia, is a significant but often underappreciated issue among elderly women. This study seeks to identify age-related features of postural control components (PCCs) among women between the ages of 63 and 74 with a fear of falling (FoF). We examined a total of 146 women between the ages of 63 and 74 who had postural instability and FoF (the latter confirmed by a psychologist). The first group included women who were 63 to 69 years old, while the second one was made up of those between 70 and 74 years old. PCCs were assessed with the use of the Smart Equitest Balance Manager, a computerised dynamic posturography system. We conducted Sensory Organization Test (SOT), Motor Control Test (MCT), and Rhythmic Weight Shift (RWS) tests. SOT results exhibited a decline in postural strategy in tests 5 and 6 among FoF-affected women over the age of 69. Those changes indicate increased postural fluctuations while maintaining the static and dynamic balance. Additionally, the RWS test demonstrated reduced intentional control and slower velocity of centre-of-gravity movement in the sagittal plane among the second group of women. The identified alterations in PCCs may also cause a severe FoF in 70-year-old women with postural instability. The results of this study confirm age-related differences in the development and progression of basophobia. A more detailed analysis of the obtained data revealed age-related differences in the sensory support of postural control, which may increase the risk of basophobia development. At least 25% of 70-year-old women had the FoF associated with reduced vestibular control in balance, whereas in at least 25% of 60-year-old women, the same was associated with a decrease in visual input as well as an inability of somatosensory and vestibular input to compensate for such a deficit for better postural control. Furthermore, the decline in visual control in balance observed in 60-year-old women suffering from postural instability can be regarded as an early indicator leading to the subsequent development of basophobia.