ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of anthropometric characteristics and gender on postural balance in adults. One hundred individuals were examined (50 males, 50 females; age range 20-40 years). METHODS: The following body composition measurements were collected (using bone densitometry measurements): fat percentage (% fat), tissue (g), fat (g), lean mass (g), bone mineral content (g), and bone mineral density (g/cm2). In addition, the following anthropometric measurements were collected: body mass (kg), height (cm), length of the trunk-cephalic region (cm), length of the lower limbs (cm) and length of the upper limbs (cm). The following indices were calculated: body mass index (kg/m²), waist-hip ratio and the support base (cm²). Also, a postural balance test was performed using posturography variables with open and closed eyes. RESULTS: The analysis revealed poor correlations between postural balance and the anthropometric variables. A multiple linear regression analysis demonstrated that the whole group (female and male) height explained 12% of the medial-lateral displacement, 10% of the speed of oscillation, and 11% of the displacement area. The length of the trunk-cephalic length explained 6% of the displacement in the anteroposterior direction. With eyes closed, the support base and height explained 18% of the medial displacement, and the lateral height explained 10% of the displacement speed and 5% of the scroll area. CONCLUSION: Measured using posturography, the postural balance was only slightly influenced by the anthropometric variables, both with open and closed eyes. Height was the anthropometric variable that most influenced postural balance, both in the whole group and separately for each gender. Postural balance was more influenced by anthropometric factors in males than females.
Subject(s)
Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Young Adult , Anthropometry , Body Composition/physiology , Physical Examination/methods , Postural Balance/physiology , Feedback, Sensory , Linear Models , Sex Factors , Statistics, NonparametricABSTRACT
O joelho apresenta pouca estabilidade, em virtude de sua forma anatômica, ao mesmo tempo em que possui grande flexibilidade, e por essas razões, sua função depende das estruturas musculares e ligamentares. Uma lesão na articulação pode causar alterações nas informações sensoriais mantidas pelos mecanorreceptores. Com o aumento do interesse por atividades esportivas, bem como a vulnerabilidade e complexidade anatômica do joelho justificam um aumento crescente do número de pacientes com lesões ligamentares, principalmente do ligamento cruzado anterior (LCA). Entretanto qual é a melhor forma de avaliar a propriocepção do joelho? Objetivo: Desta forma este estudo teve como objetivo identificar as técnicas de avaliação proprioceptivas do LCA do joelho, e se existe a melhor técnica. Métodos: Foi realizada uma revisão de literatura, tendo como critérios de inclusão os estudos publicados em revistas científicas indexadas, que se referiam a instrumentos de avaliação e/ou mensuração da propriocepção do joelho. Discussão: De acordo com a literatura revisada, existem diferentes técnicas de avaliação da propriocepção do LCA, dentre elas: estudos morfológicos anatômicos; avaliação neurofisiológica; e avaliação clínica que é dividida em três subtipos: a) sentido da posição estática; b) cinestesia; e c) equilíbrio postural. Ainda que a propriocepção seja importante no resultado final de um tratamento que envolva uma lesão ligamentar, sua avaliação ainda é uma dificuldade. Conclusão: O método ideal deve ter alta sensibilidade e especificidade, além de boa reprodutibilidade e precisão. Porém não houve consenso na literatura referente à melhor técnica e os resultados são contraditórios, apesar da avaliação do equilíbrio ser uma técnica moderna e utilizada nos grandes centros de pesquisa, não é possível isolar o sistema proprioceptivo dos outros sistemas: visual e vestibular.
The knee shows little stability because of its anatomical shape, and at the same time it has great flexibility, and for these reasons its function depends on muscular and ligamentous structures. A joint injury can cause changes in sensory information maintained by mechanoreceptors. The increasing interest in sports activities, combined with the knee?s anatomical vulnerability and complexity, justifies the increasing number of patients with ligament injuries, especially the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). What then would be the best way to evaluate the knee proprioception? The objective of this study was to identify the techniques of proprioceptive evaluation of the anterior cruciate knee ligament (ACL), and to determine whether a better technique is available. The method was to review the literature, including only those studies published in indexed scientific journals that referred to evaluation tools and/or knee proprioception measurement. The discussion of the different methods of evaluating ACL proprioception, according to the literature, included: morphological anatomical studies; neurophysiologic evaluation, and clinical evaluation which was divided into three types: a) sense of static position; b) kinesthetic posture; and c) postural balance. Although proprioception is important to the final results of a treatment involving ligament injury, its evaluation is still a problem. The conclusion was that the ideal method should have high sensitivity and specificity, in addition to good reproducibility and accuracy. There is lack of consensus in literature regarding the best evaluation technique and the results are also contradictory, despite the balance evaluation being a modern technique used in major research centers, it was not possible to isolate the proprioceptive system from other systems: visual and vestibular.