Influence of obesity and handgrip strength in the static postural balance of active older women

The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of the obesity and handgrip strength on the static balance of active older women in the opened and closed eyes conditions. Thirty one women aged from 65 to 75 years (16 eutrophic and 15 obese) were evaluated. Mean age and BMI of the eutrophic women were, respectively, 68.3 +/- 2.7 years and 23.4 +/- 1.6kg/m(2), and of the obese women were 69.1 +/- 2.7 years and 33.5 +/- 3kg/m(2). Handgrip strength was evaluated using a dynamometer (JAMAR). A tridimensional sensors system was used to evaluate the static postural balance. The tests were performed for 90 seconds, with eyes opened and closed. The mean handgrip strength of the eutrophic women was 25.1 +/- 4.6kgf and of the obese women was 24.8 +/- 5.2kgf, (p>0,05). Significant differences between groups were only observed in the maximum displacement with opened eyes (p=0,04) and closed eyes(p<0,01). There was no correlation between the maximum displacement neither with the BMI or the handgrip strength. The present study showed smaller a-p displacement in obese than in eutrophic women, with major statistic difference in the eyes closed condition. In the present study, the handgrip strength did not influence the static balance, however the obesity was a determinant factor for the smaller a-p displacement of the active older women.

Static postural balance study in patients with vestibular disorders using a three dimensional eletromagnetic sensor system

The vestibular-ocular reflex assessment is important, but not enough. Tridimensional electromagnetic sensor systems represent a new method to assess posturography. Aim: To assess body sway in healthy subjects who had positive Dix Hallpike and Epley maneuvers and with other vestibular dysfunctions by means of a three-dimensional system. Study design: Prospective. Materials and Methods: We had 23 healthy women, 15 with peripheral vestibular dysfunction found upon caloric test and 10 with positive Epley and Dix Hallpike maneuvers. All tests performed in the following positions: open and closed eyes on stable and unstable surfaces. Results: With the Eyes Open and on a stable surface, p < 0.01 between the control group and the one with peripheral vestibular dysfunction in all variables, except the a-p maximum, full speed and mediolateral trajectory velocity, which had a p < 0.01 between the group with vestibular dysfunction and controls in all positions. The group with positive Epley and Dix Hallpike maneuvers had p < 0.01 at full speed and in its components in the x and y in positions with open and eyes closed on an unstable surface. Conclusion: The tridimensional electromagnetic sensors system was able to generate reliable information about body sway in the study volunteers.

Obese elderly women exhibit low postural stability: a novel three-dimensional evaluation system

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the multisegmental static postural balance of active eutrophic and obese elderly women using a three-dimensional system under different sensory conditions. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 31 elderly women (16 eutrophic and 15 obese) aged 65 to 75 years. The following anthropometric measurements were obtained: weight, height, waist and hip circumference, and handgrip strength. The physical activity level was evaluated using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Body composition was measured using the deuterium oxide dilution technique. The Polhemus (R) Patriot (three-dimensional) equipment was used to measure the parameters of postural balance along the anteroposterior and laterolateral axes. The data acquisition involved one trial of 60 s to test the limit of stability and four trials of 90 s each under the following conditions: (1) eyes open, stable surface; (2) eyes closed, stable surface; (3) eyes open, unstable surface; and (4) eyes closed, unstable surface. RESULTS: For the limit of stability, significant differences were observed in the maximum anteroposterior and laterolateral displacement (p<0.01) and in the parameter maximum anteroposterior displacement in the eyes closed stable surface condition (p<0.01) and maximum anteroposterior and laterolateral displacement in the eyes open unstable surface (p<0.01 and p = 0.03) and eyes closed unstable surface (p<0.01 and p<0.01) conditions. CONCLUSIONS: Obese elderly women exhibited a lower stability limit (lower sway area) compared with eutrophic women, leaving them more vulnerable to falls.

Influência da obesidade e da força de preensão palmar no equilíbrio postural estático de idosas ativas

O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar a influência da obesidade e da força de preensão palmar (FPP) no equilíbrio postural estático de idosas ativas nas condições de olhos abertos e fechados. Participaram 31 idosas (16 eutróficas e 15 obesas). A idade média e o Índice de Massa Corpórea (IMC) das eutróficas foram, respectivamente, 68,3±2,7 anos e 23,4±1,6kg/m², e das obesas 69,1±2,7 anos e 33,5±3kg/m². A FPP foi avaliada usando um dinamômetro (JAMAR). O equilíbrio postural estático foi avaliado usando um sistema tridimensional nas condições de olhos abertos (OA) e fechados (OF), durante 90 segundos cada condição. A FPP das idosas eutróficas foi 25,1±4,6kgf e das obesas foi 24,8±5,2kgf, não havendo diferenças significativas. No equilíbrio postural, foram observadas diferenças significativas entre os grupos apenas no deslocamento máximo a-p com AO (p=0,04) e OF (p<0,01), com as idosas obesas apresentando menor deslocamento a-p em relação às eutróficas. Não houve correlação entre o deslocamento máximo a-p com IMC e a FPP. No presente estudo FPP não influenciou o equilíbrio postural estático, enquanto a obesidade foi fator determinante de menor deslocamento ântero-posterior de idosas ativas.

Effectiveness of an exercise program on postural control in frail older adults

Background: Exercise programs have proved to be helpful for frail older adults. This study aimed to investigate the effects of an exercise program with a focus on postural control exercises in frail older adults. Method: Twenty-six older adults (76.7 +/- 4.9 years) deemed clinically stable, chosen from the Falls Unit, University Hospital Mutua Terrassa, Barcelona, Spain, participated in this single-group study. Volunteers' postural control was evaluated using the Timed Up and Go test (TUG) and the Guralnik test battery, and their static and dynamic posturography were evaluated using the Synapsys Posturography System (R). These evaluations were performed before and after the intervention program, which included an educational session and two weekly 1-hour sessions over an 8-week period of stretching exercises, proprioception, balance, and motor coordination. Data were analyzed using the Student's t-test or the Wilcoxon test, with a significance level of 5%. Results: The TUG and Guralnik tests did not show significant differences. Concerning static posturography, there was improvement in the base of support (P = 0.006), anteroposterior displacement with eyes open (P = 0.02) and closed (P = 0.03), and the total amplitude of the center of pressure with eyes closed (P = 0.02). Regarding dynamic posturography, a decrease of the oscillation speed in the anteroposterior direction (P = 0.01) was observed in individuals with their eyes open. Conclusion: The program used in this study was safe and was able to promote some improvement in postural control, especially in the anteroposterior direction and in the base of support. However, it is noteworthy that further improvements could be obtained from a program of longer duration and greater frequency.

Behaviour of displacement piles in sand under cyclic axial loading

Field experiments have demonstrated that piles driven into sand can respond to axial cyclic loading in Stable, Unstable or Meta-Stable ways, depending on the combinations of mean and cyclic loads and the number of cycles. An understanding of the three styles of responses is provided by experiments involving a highly instrumented model displacement pile and an array of soil stress sensors installed in fine sand in a pressurised calibration chamber. The different patterns of effective stress developing on and around the shaft are reported, along with the results of static load tests that track the effects on shaft capacity. The interpretation links these observations to the sand's stress strain behaviour. The interface-shear characteristics, the kinematic yielding, the local densification, the growth of a fractured interface-shear zone and the restrained dilatancy at the pile soil interface are all found to be important. The model tests are shown to be compatible with the full-scale behaviour and to provide key information for improving the modelling and the design rules. (C) 2012 The Japanese Geotechnical Society. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Postural control parameters in elderly female fallers and non-fallers diagnosed or not with knee osteoarthritis

Objectives: To compare stabilometric parameters of elderly female fallers and non-fallers associated or not with knee osteoarthritis (OA). Methods: Fifty-six elderly female fallers and non-fallers diagnosed or not with unilateral or bilateral knee OA were divided into the following groups: FOA (n = 10), elderly female falters with knee OA; FNOA (n = 11), elderly female fallers without knee OA; NFOA (n = 14), elderly female non-fallers with knee OA; and NFNOA (n = 21), elderly female non-fallers without knee OA. For analyzing semi-static balance on a force platform with the elderly females standing, the following parameters were assessed in four conditions: center of pressure (COP), anterior-posterior and mediolateral displacements (APD and MLD, respectively); and COP anterior-posterior and mediolateral displacement velocities (APV and MLV, respectively). The following conditions were assessed: 1) standing on a firm wooden surface with eyes open (WSEO); 2) standing on a firm wooden surface with eyes closed (WSEC); 3) standing on a foam surface with eyes open (FSEO); 4) standing on a foam surface with eyes closed (FSEC). Results: The elderly females with knee OA showed greater APD in all four conditions assessed (P < 0.05), while the elderly female fallers showed greater MLD (P < 0.05). No difference between the groups was observed for APV and MLV (P > 0.05). Conclusions: Knee OA per se increases APD of the COP, while the history of falls, regardless of the presence of knee OA, hinders postural control in the ML direction.

Postural Control in Older Patients with Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo

Objective. To evaluate the effectiveness of a canalith-repositioning procedure in postural control of older patients with idiopathic benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). Study Design. Prospective clinical trial. Setting. A tertiary referral center. Methods. A 9-month follow-up survey with a prospective design was conducted among 33 older patients with BPPV. Patients underwent static posturography (Balance Rehabilitation Unit [BRU]) and were administered the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) before and after the maneuver. After the treatment, they were compared with 33 healthy older subjects. The posturography parameters were the limit of stability (LOS), the center of body-pressure area (COP), and the velocity of oscillation (VOS) under conditions of visual, somatosensory, and visual-vestibular conflict. Results. One canalith-repositioning procedure relieved most patients' complaints (54.5%), and 100% were relieved with 1 to 3 maneuvers. Total DHI score and all subscales improved after treatment (P < .01). The LOS values pretreatment (mean [SD] 134.27 [55.32] cm(2)) and posttreatment (181.03 [47.79] cm(2)) were significantly different (P < .01). Comparative analysis of COP values showed a relevant statistical difference in 8 of 10 postmaneuver conditions (P < .01). The postmaneuver VOS showed a significant difference under 7 conflict conditions. There were no differences between the healthy older subjects and treated patients for all VOS values under all conditions and for COP values under 9 conditions. Conclusion. The canalith-repositioning procedure promotes remission of symptoms, an increase in LOS, and improvement in postural control under conditions of somatosensory and visual conflict and visual-vestibular interaction.

Influence of different types of seat cushions on the static sitting posture in individuals with spinal cord injury

Study design: Cross-sectional study. Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy of the Postural Assessment Software PAS/SAPO in the posture analysis of individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) during sitting position and to analyze if the use of different types of seat cushions-gel and foam, with no cushion-can interfere in the individual's posture during sitting position. Setting: Centre of Rehabilitation at the University Hospital (FMRP-USP), Ribeirao Preto, Brazil. Methods: Eight individuals, four paraplegics and four tetraplegics with SCI and 20 healthy individuals participated in the study. Photos were taken of individuals in the sitting position using foam, gel cushions and with no cushion. They were analyzed using the PAS/SAPO. The alignment of the anterior-superior iliac spine (ASIS) and the posterior pelvic tilt were evaluated from the angle formed between the ASIS and the greater trochanter of the femur. Results: The group of healthy individuals presented the best postural alignment when compared with the group with SCI, both for the ASIS alignment (P < 0.05) and for the degree of posterior pelvic tilt (P < 0.05). No significant differences were found in the variables analyzed when the seat cushions were compared. Conclusion: The different types of cushions did not alter the sitting posture; however, individuals with SCI showed worse postural alignment than the healthy individuals. PAS/SAPO was demonstrated to be useful for postural assessment. Spinal Cord (2012) 50, 627-631; doi:10.1038/sc.2012.7; published online 21 February 2012