Pattern of age-associated decline of static and dynamic balance in community-dwelling older women

• Published in: Geriatrics & gerontology international 2014-07, Vol.14 (3), p.556-560
• Main Authors: Takeshima, Nobuo, Islam, Mohammod M, Rogers, Michael E, Koizumi, Daisuke, Tomiyama, Naoki, Narita, Makoto, Rogers, Nicole L
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age; Age Factors; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; aging; dynamic balance; Falls; Female; Humans; Japan; limits of stability; Middle Aged; Motor ability; Older people; Postural Balance - physiology; Psychomotor Performance - physiology; Reproducibility of Results; Residence Characteristics; Sex Factors; static balance; sway velocity; Women
• ISSN: 1444-1586; 1447-0594
• DOI: 10.1111/ggi.12132

Aim Falling is the leading cause of injury‐related deaths in older adults, and a loss of balance is often the precursor to a fall. However, little is known about the rate at which balance declines with age. The objective of the present study was to determine whether there is an age‐associated decline in static (SB) and/or dynamic (DB) balance in community‐dwelling older women. Method SB and DB were determined in 971 older women. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were used to determine test–retest reliability. Sway velocity was used to measure SB standing on a platform and foam with eyes open and closed. DB was characterized by limits of stability (LOS) that measured end‐point excursion (EXE) and maximum excursion (MXE) of the body's center of pressure. Results ICC for EXE and MXE for the LOS test were excellent (EPE = 0.96, MXE = 0.96). ICC for SB tests, except for the eyes open firm surface condition (ICC = 0.10), showed a high level of reproducibility (ICC = 0.88 and 0.90). Relationships existed between age and SB (r = 0.31, P