Effects of anthropometric factors on postural stability in individuals with hearing impairment.

Purpose: Identification of factors that affect postural stability may help to improve diagnostic accuracy and enhance the quality of treatment and rehabilitation. This study sought to assess the relationship between postural stability parameters and anthropometric factors of persons with hearing impairment (HI).

Methods: The study included 128 individuals - 42 subjects with HI and 86 without HI (healthy controls). Research methodology included an interview and a medical examination, anthropometric measurements and stabilometric tests on platforms with stable and unstable surfaces.

Results: In the group of female study participants with HI, significant correlations were only noted between body height and the Fall Risk Index (FRI). In the group of male subjects with HI, the study revealed significant correlations between FRI and body mass, BMI, % MM (muscle mass percentage) and % FAT (fat percentage). Moreover, moderate correlation was found between COP path with eyes open and body mass, while high correlation was observed between COP path with eyes open and BMI, % MM and % FAT. No significant correlation was noted between FRI and body height in men with HI.

Conclusions: The examination of correlations between postural stability and body build of persons with HI did not confirm the effects of body height on postural stability in the examined group of individuals with HI, but revealed a greater influence of somatic parameters (body mass, BMI, % MM, % FAT) on postural stability in hearing-impaired men.