Article

The ability to transfer weight from one lower limb to the other is essential for
the execution of daily life activities and little is known about how weight
transfer during unconstrained natural standing is affected by age. This study
examined the weight transfer ability of elderly individuals during unconstrained
standing (for 30 min) in comparison to young adults. The subjects (19 healthy
elderly adults, range 65-80 years, and 19 healthy young adults, range 18-30
years) stood with each foot on a separate force plate and were allowed to change
their posture freely at any time. The limits of stability and base of support
width during standing, measures of mobility (using the timed up and go and the
preferred walking speed tests), and fear of falling were also measured. In
comparison to the young adults, during unconstrained standing the elderly adults
produced four times fewer weight transfers of large amplitude (greater than half
of their body weight). The limits of stability and base of support width were
significantly smaller for the elderly adults but there were no significant
differences in the measures of mobility and in the fear of falling score compared
to young adults. The observed significant age-related decrease in the use of
weight transfer during unconstrained standing, despite any difference in the
measured mobility of the subjects, suggests that this task reveals unnoticed and
subtle differences in postural control, which may help to better understand age
related impairments in balance that the elderly population experiences.
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Langue : ANGLAIS