The swaying and postural instability frequently seen in elderly subjects had not been analyzed quantitatively in detail until the introduction of computerized posturography. In order to assess the changes of body sway with aging, we performed computerized posturography in 144 subjects (51 men and 93 women, between the ages of 22 and 88 years) without specific neurological or metabolic disorders. The total and timed track length of the center of gravity, reflecting the distance of sway, increased with advancing age, with a highly significant positive correlation, without marked sex differences. The total area covered by the track of the center of gravity (expressing the extent of sway) also showed a similar tendency. Track density per unit area, expressing the efficiency of postural control, in contrast, decreased with age, showing a significant negative correlation with age, but only when the subjects had their eyes open; this decrease did not occur when they had their eyes closed. The Romberg ratio, an index of exacerbation of sway on eye closure, showed little change with a tendency for slight alleviation of sway and improvement in the efficiency of its control. Computerized posturography appears to be a useful tool with which to analyze the mechanism of swaying associated with old age.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00774-004-0554-7DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

computerized posturography
16
body sway
8
center gravity
8
sway
6
age
5
age body
4
sway assessed
4
computerized
4
assessed computerized
4
posturography
4

Similar Publications

Effects on Posture of a Two-Diopter Horizontal Prism Base Out on the Non-Dominant Eye.

J Clin Med

December 2024

Ophthalmology Unit, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy.

: Ocular proprioception is implicated in balance control and heterophoria is associated with abnormal posture, though previous research focused mainly on the role of vertical phoria and the use of vertical prisms. This study aims to evaluate whether ocular misalignment and prismatic correction of horizontal phoria affect posture. : Sixty-nine ( = 69) young healthy subjects were included and equally divided by horizontal distance phoria: orthophoria ( = 23), esophoria ( = 23) and exophoria ( = 23).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Postural control is a multisensory adaptive system performing predictive (anticipatory) and/or reactive (compensatory) actions, with varying degrees of accuracy, to maintain balance in a changing environmental context. Common instrumentation to evaluate balance includes static and dynamic force platforms; added sway-referenced perturbations on the dynamic platform constitute its main advantage. Clinical applications notwithstanding, normative data are needed for interpretation in clinical settings.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Numerous scoliosis research studies have investigated postural control changes in adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis and compared them to healthy controls. However, the results have been controversial. Therefore, the present study aimed to compare whether postural control in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) patients is different from their age-matched healthy counterparts.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Biomechanical analysis of limits of stability using computerized posturography: correlations with functional mobility in elderly individuals with hip osteoarthritis - a cross-sectional study.

Front Bioeng Biotechnol

November 2024

Biomechanics and Research Lab, Program of Physical Therapy, Department of Medical Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia.

Background: Hip osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease that predominantly affects the elderly, causing significant morbidity due to joint pain, stiffness, and loss of function. This study aimed to assess the limits of stability (LOS) using computerized posturography and evaluate the correlations with functional mobility in elderly individuals with hip OA.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included elderly individuals aged 65 years and above with a clinical diagnosis of hip OA and age-matched asymptomatic controls.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

This study aimed to investigate the relationships between kinesiophobia, proprioception, and limits of stability in elderly individuals post-THR. Specifically, it sought to assess the direct and indirect effects of kinesiophobia on proprioception through mediating factors such as pain intensity, functional mobility, and psychological well-being. A cross-sectional observational study was conducted with 100 participants (50 post-THR patients and 50 asymptomatic elderly controls) at King Khalid University Hospital.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!