Limits of Stability and Functional Base of Support While Standing in Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Abstract

This study aimed to determine, among community-dwelling older adults, effects of aging on limits of stability in various directions and total area of functional base of support (FBoS) while standing. Forty-three older adults and 43 young adults maintained limits of stability in eight directions. FBoS was defined as the octagon formed by the corners made by the positions of center of pressure in the eight stability limits. FBoS area was smaller in older adults (36.6% ± 7.6% of base of support) than in young adults (47.2% ± 6.4%). Although the reduction in limits of stability in older adults can occur in all directions, the degree of the reduction varies in a direction-specific manner.

Keywords:

• Balance
• stance control
• aging
• center of pressure

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank research participants for their cooperation and Enago (www.enago.jp) for the English language review.

DISCLOSURE STATEMENT

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

TRIAL REGISTRATION INFORMATION AND DATA DEPOSITION

Since this study is not a clinical trial, the study was not registered before the first participant was enrolled (August 15, 2010). After all measurements were completed, the study was registered at the UMIN (https://www.umin.ac.jp/english.) (reference number: UMIN000038027) on September 17, 2019. The data that support the findings of this study were derived from the following resources available in the public domain (https://upload.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr_e/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000043353), which is described in the Data analysis section.