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[Gait disorders and falls from the neurologic viewpoint. 1. Basic principles: postural control in the aged]
1Klinik für Neurologie, Medizinische Universität zu Lübeck.
Zeitschrift Fur Gerontologie Und Geriatrie
|July 1, 1997
Summary
Falls in old age, often neurologic, stem from leg weakness or impaired postural control. This overview details age-related changes in the systems maintaining balance during elderly gait.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Neurology
- Biomechanics
Context:
- Falls in the elderly are a significant public health concern, often linked to neurological factors.
- Gait disturbances in older adults can arise from lower extremity paresis or postural dyscontrol.
- Postural control involves complex afferent, efferent, and central-integrative processes that change with age.
Purpose:
- To provide an overview of age-associated alterations in postural control within the context of elderly gait.
- To explore the neurological underpinnings of gait disturbances and falls in older individuals.
- To define elderly gait as the flexible maintenance of dynamic equilibrium.
Summary:
- Neurologic falls in old age result from lower extremity paresis or postural dyscontrol.
- Age-associated alterations affect the afferent, efferent, and central-integrative components of postural control.
- This review focuses on the age-related changes impacting postural control during gait in the elderly.
Impact:
- Understanding age-related postural control changes can inform fall prevention strategies.
- Highlights the neurological basis of gait instability in older populations.
- Provides a framework for assessing and managing gait disturbances in geriatric populations.