Postural stability of elderly submmitted to multisensorial physical therapy intervention

Abstract

The present study investigated the influence of a regular Physical Therapy program with emphasis on proprioceptive stimulation, on the center pressure trajectory and muscle adjustments necessary to maintain balance on orthostatic position. After medical assessment, 29 subjects (63.06 +/- 2.84 years) were submitted to electromyographic and baropodometric evaluation and, subsequently, to a program of 12 weeks of physical therapy intervention focusing on proprioceptive stimulation. The oscillation of the pressure center (Pressure platform-MatScanTekscan) was evaluated concomitantly to electromyographic signal envelopment and median frequency assessment of anterior tibial and gastrocnemius muscles (signal conditioner module--MCS 1000-V2-LYNX ). The Wilcoxon test was used for comparison of means, with the significance level of 5%. The pressure center trajectory unipodal position with open eyes (UO) decreased significantly after physical therapy intervention. In this position, there was a reduction of the electromyographic signal envelopment and an increase on median frequency of the gastrocnemius muscle, while the anterior tibial muscle showed increased median frequency after intervention. For the unipodal position with closed eyes (UC), the anterior tibial muscle showed significant electromyographic signal envelopment decrease and increase of median frequency, which also increased for the gastrocnemius muscle. It is concluded that the physical therapy intervention promoted decrease of body oscillation, recruitment improvement and adjustment of the gastrocnemius and anterior tibial muscles, contributing to the postural balance improvement in orthostatic position on senior population.