Association between somatosensory, visual and vestibular contributions to postural control, reactive balance capacity and healthy ageing in older women

Abstract

We investigated the biological systems involved in maintaining equilibrium during unstable and perturbed conditions in 39 healthy older women and estimated the annual difference in performance across the older age spectrum using regression. The largest annual difference in equilibrium occurred when the somatosensory system received inaccurate feedback and visual input was removed. With age, weight distribution became asymmetric at the onset of backwards perturbations, possibly in preparation for executing a stepping strategy. When one sensory system was challenged, postural responses were stable suggesting other systems compensated. When multiple sensory systems were challenged, significant differences in postural control emerged with age.

Keywords:

• Computerized dynamic posturography
• postural control
• healthy ageing
• Sensory Organization Test
• motor control test

Disclosure statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest to report.

Additional information

Funding

Ethical approval was granted by the local NHS research ethics committee (REC Ref: 08-H1305-91).