[Gait disorders and falls from the neurologic viewpoint. 1. Basic principles: postural control in the aged]

Abstract

In the framework of gait, disturbances in old age falls of neurologic origin are either due to pareses of the lower extremities or to postural dyscontrol. The latter shows, either alone or in combination, age-associated alterations in its afferent, efferent, and central-integrative components. Considering gait in the elderly as the flexible maintenance of dynamic equilibrium this overview describes the age-associated alterations of postural control.