Does an Externally Focused Dual-task Mitigate Real-time Conscious Postural Control in Older Adults?

ABSTRACT

Objectives

This study first examined whether real-time conscious postural control (reinvestment) and postural sway increase with different postural difficulties on a compliant surface among older adults. The second objective was to investigate the effect of an externally focused dual-task on real-time reinvestment and postural sway under a relatively challenging standing position.

Method

Thirty-two community-dwelling older adults (mean age = 72.09, SD = 4.18 years) were recruited. Participants performed balance tasks in four standing positions in a randomized order on a balance foam pad. The four positions included wide-based standing on foam (WBF), narrow-based standing on foam (NBF), tandem-based standing on foam (TBF) and tandem-based standing on foam with an externally focused dual-task (TBFE). Throughout all the balance tasks, participants’ real-time reinvestment and body sway were indicated by the Alpha2 T3-Fz Electroencephalogram (EEG) coherence and the total sway length (TSL), respectively.

Results and Discussion

Our results revealed no significant difference in real-time reinvestment among different standing positions while postural sway increased from WBF to NBF and reduced from NBF to TBF. We also demonstrated that when performing a relatively challenging standing task on a compliant surface, an externally focused dual-task (TBFE), compared to a baseline single task (TBF), can neither mitigate real-time reinvestment nor improve balance performance in community-dwelling older adults with good balance capability. Potential explanations and implications are discussed.

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Tiffany Leung and Debbie Chan for their support in the completion of the study.

Disclosure statement

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Availability of data and material

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

This research did not receive any grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.