The Effect of Sensorimotor Training on the Postural Stability of Visually Impaired Women Over 50 Years of Age

Abstract

Previous studies indicated that blind and visually impaired people are a group with greater risk of falls. Postmenopausal changes significantly decrease physical efficiency and impair the body’s mechanisms for maintaining postural stability. In addition, the frequency of falls among women is much higher than in men. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of sensorimotor exercise on changes in postural stability of visually impaired women over 50 years of age. Visually impaired women from group E showed a lower level of postural stability measured with EO compared to the healthy women. After completing the exercise, a more pronounced improvement in the level of postural stability was observed in group E.

KEYWORDS:

• postural stability
• sensorimotor training
• visually impaired women
• proprioception

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The research was conducted by the permission of the Institutional Review Board at Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 10 Fredry Str., 61-701 Poznań, Poland, number 305/11 from June 16, 2011.