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Age and gender effects on postural control measures

P A Hageman1, J M Leibowitz, D Blanke

  • 1Department of Physical Therapy Education, Meyer Rehabilitation Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha 68198-4420, USA.

Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
|October 1, 1995
PubMed
Summary

Older adults exhibit significant age-related declines in postural control, including increased sway and reduced functional reach. These findings highlight sensitive measures for assessing balance in the elderly.

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Area of Science:

  • Gerontology
  • Biomechanics
  • Human Movement Science

Background:

  • Postural control is crucial for preventing falls in older adults.
  • Understanding age-related changes in balance is essential for fall risk assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effects of age and gender on novel postural control measures.
  • To identify age-related differences in balance performance.

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional study with a 2x2 factorial design (age: young/old; gender: male/female).
  • Participants included healthy community-dwelling adults.
  • Postural control was assessed using force platform measures (sway area, movement time, path length) and functional reach.

Main Results:

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  • Age significantly impacted all six postural control measures.
  • Older adults showed larger sway areas, longer movement times, longer path lengths, and shorter functional reach compared to younger adults.
  • Gender did not significantly affect any of the outcome measures.

Conclusions:

  • The studied postural control measures are sensitive to age-related changes in healthy older adults.
  • These measures can aid in identifying individuals at higher risk for falls due to impaired balance.