Changes in postural balance associated with a woman's aging process

Abstract

Context: Aging causes a progressive worsening in postural balance, affecting functional independence and increasing the risk of falls.

Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of aging on the static balance in women from 50-years to 89-years of age.

Design: This was a cross-sectional study, with 400 irregularly active women were evaluated and grouped by age: Group 6^th decade (age 50 to 59) ‒ 58 participants; Group 7^th decade (age 60 to 69) ‒ 214 participants; Group 8^th decade (age 70 to 79) ‒ 92 participants; Group 9^th decade (age 80 to 89) ‒ 36 participants. Postural balance was evaluated using a portable force platform in a standard standing position, with Eyes Open (EO) and Eyes Closed (EC).

Results: In the two measurement conditions, the elderly women in Group 9^th decade presented mediolateral displacement and range, and mean velocity greater than the women's values in Groups 6^th and 7^th decade. In the EO e EC situation, the displacement was higher in the elderly Group 9^th decade compared to younger groups. Group 8^th has a mean velocity greater than Group 6^th decade in the EO situation.

Conclusions: Posturography showed a decline in postural balance with advancing age, suggesting that the 9^th decade of life is a borderline age to this detriment due to an increase in postural instability.

Keywords: Accidental falls; Aging; Postural balance; Stabilometric parameters.

Fig. 1

Comparison of postural balance with eyes open between age groups. (A) Latero-lateral COP displacement; (B) Antero-posterior COP displacement; (C) Mean velocity calculated from the total displacement of the COP in all directions; (D) Range: sum of the maximum and minimum displacement of the COP in latero-lateral direction; (E) Range: sum of the maximum and minimum displacement of the COP in anteroposterior direction; (F) Area of 95% from an ellipse of the total COP displacement. * p-value ≤0.05 ANOVA with Bonferroni Correction (Pos hoc).

Fig. 2

Postural balance comparison between age group with eyes closed. (A) Latero-lateral COP displacement; (B) Anteroposterior COP displacement; (C) Mean velocity calculated from the total displacement of the COP in all directions; (D) Range: sum of the maximum and minimum displacement of the COP in latero-lateral direction; (E) Range: sum of the maximum and minimum displacement of the COP in anteroposterior direction; (F) Area of 95% from an ellipse of the total COP displacement. * p-value ≤0.05 ANOVA with Bonferroni Correction (Pos-hoc).