Is there a relationship between complaints of impaired balance and postural control disorder in community-dwelling elderly women? A cross-sectional study with the use of posturography

Erika H Tanaka, Paulo F Santos, Júlia G Reis, Natalia C Rodrigues, Renato Moraes, Daniela C C Abreu, Erika H Tanaka, Paulo F Santos, Júlia G Reis, Natalia C Rodrigues, Renato Moraes, Daniela C C Abreu

Abstract

Background: Risk of falls increases as age advances. Complaints of impaired balance are very common in the elderly age group.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to investigate whether the subjective perception of impaired balance was associated with deficits in postural control (objective analysis) in elderly community-dwelling women.

Method: Static posturography was used in two groups: elderly women with (WC group) and without (NC group) complaints of impaired balance. The area, mean sway amplitude and mean speed of the center of pressure (COP) in the anterior-posterior (AP) and medial-lateral (ML) directions were analyzed in three stances: single-leg stance, double-leg stance and tandem stance, with eyes open or closed on two different surfaces: stable (firm) and unstable (foam). A digital chronometer was activated to measure the time limit (Tlimit) in the single-leg stance. Kruskal-Wallis tests followed by Mann-Whitney tests, Friedman analyses followed by post hoc Wilcoxon tests and Bonferroni corrections, and Spearman statistical tests were used in the data analysis. Differences of p<0.05 were considered statistically significant.

Results: The results of posturography variables revealed no differences between groups. The timed single-leg stance test revealed a shorter Tlimit in the left single-leg stance (p=0.01) in WC group compared to NC group. A negative correlation between posturography variables and Tlimit was detected.

Conclusions: Posturography did not show any differences between the groups; however, the timed single-leg stance allowed the authors to observe differences in postural control performance between elderly women with and those without complaints of impaired balance.

Figures

Figure 1.. Flowchart of the experimental design…
Figure 1.. Flowchart of the experimental design with the total sample. FSEO: firm surface, eyes open; FSEC, firm surface, eyes closed; CSEO: compliant surface, eyes open; CSEC: compliant surface, eyes closed; Tandem EO: tandem stance, eyes open; Tandem EC: tandem stance, eyes closed; SL R: standing on right foot only; SL L: standing on left foot only.
Figure 2.. Means and standard deviations of…
Figure 2.. Means and standard deviations of posturography variables (i.e. area, mean velocity anterior-posterior, mean velocity mediallateral, mean amplitude anterior-posterior and mean amplitude medial-lateral) for 2 elderly groups with (WC) and without (NC) complaints of imbalance. FSEO: firm surface, eyes open; FSEC, firm surface, eyes closed; CSEO: compliant surface, eyes open; CSEC: compliant surface, eyes closed; Tandem EO: tandem stance, eyes open; Tandem EC: tandem stance, eyes closed; SL R: standing on right foot only; SL L: standing on left foot only. A) FSEO (# p

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