Sensitive Balance Parameters in Detecting Age-related Changes of Balance Control in Elderly

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To determine stability parameters in clinical balance tests and posturography that can assess age-related changes in posture control sensitively METHOD: Thirty nine healthy elderly people over 60 years old and twenty young controls were recruited. Elderly people were subdivided into 3 groups by age (aged 60~69, 70~79, over 80). Subjects were evaluated with clinical balance tests and posturography. In posturography, center of pressure (COP) parameters were obtained as total path distance, sway area, mean frequency of sway in comfortable standing. Visual feedback system (VFS) was added to posturography and then subjects were asked to move their COP into the target circle on monitor with active movement on force plate. In VFS, time to get in the circle, total path of deviation, time in the circle were measured. RESULTS: Time in the circle assessed by posturography with VFS showed significant difference between age groups (p<0.05). Significant correlations between time in the circle and clinical balance tests were also found (p<0.01). CONCLUSION: A posturography with VFS was considered to have clinical usefulness in sensitive evaluation of age-related change of balance control in healthy elderly people.