Healthy aging reduces dynamic balance control as measured by the simplified Star Excursion Balance Test.

Background: Detecting and classifying factors that contribute to age-related balance decline are essential for targeted interventions. Dynamic postural tests that challenge neuromuscular balance control are important to detect subtle deficits that affect functional balance in healthy aging.

Research Question: How does healthy aging affect specific components of dynamic postural control as measured by the simplified Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT)?

Methods: Twenty healthy younger (18-39 years) and twenty healthy older (58-74 years) adults performed the standardized simplified SEBT, which involved standing on one leg and reaching the contralateral leg as far as possible in the anterior, posteromedial, and posterolateral directions.