Decrease in Timed Balance Test Scores with Aging

Abstract

This study investigated whether 184 volunteers from 20 to 79 years of age could perform eight timed balance tests and examined the relationship between test performance and age. All subjects were able to balance with their feet together and eyes closed for 30 seconds. The ability to balance on the right and left legs did not differ significantly. Subjects over 60 years of age were unable to balance on one leg, particularly when their eyes were closed, for as long a period as younger subjects. The Pearson product-moment and Spearman correlations of age and duration of one-legged balance were -.65 and -.71 (eyes opened) and -.79 and -.75 (eyes closed). The findings suggest that when timed balance tests are performed as a part of a patient's neurologic examination, the results should be interpreted in light of the patient's age. Information is provided to assist in this interpretation.

Effect of ankle-foot orthosis(AFO) on body sway and walking capacity of hemiparetic stroke patients.

“…Bohannon et al (1984) and Bohannon (1987), measuring the ability to balance with the eyes open or closed and the feet together in normal subjects 20 to 79 years old and in hemiplegic patients, reported that dysfunction of balance correlated strongly with age and the ability to walk, i.e., the balance decreased with age and that as the balance improved, so did gait performance. In stroke, unilateral hemispheric lesions could bring about dysregulation of posture, balance and locomotion, thus producing instability in standing and gait abnormality and peripherally weakness of the affected lower limb muscles as well as mediolateral instability of the ankle joint would increase body sway and hinder walking performance (Perry 1969;Nakamura et al 1985;Lehman et al 1987 ;Nakamura and Hosokawa 1988).…”

Rendimiento en las pruebas “Timed Up and Go” y “Estación Unipodal” en adultos mayores chilenos entre 60 y 89 años

“…Dada la conformación etaria del grupo de AM, se observa una disminución de rendimiento en la prueba TUG 15-18 y en la EUP 16,[19][20][21] , las cuales fueron menos acentuadas entre los quinquenios tres y cuatro (Tabla 2). Esto se podría explicar dado que estos resultados ocurrieron entre los dos quinquenios del decenio 70-79, en cuyo período también se ubica la esperanza de vida de la población chilena 22 , donde por razones de morbimortalidad, se establecerían condicionantes figura 1.…”

Impact of a 10-Week Individualized Exercise Program on Physical Function and Fatigue of People with Multiple Sclerosis

“…This test can be administered with eyes open and eyes closed. 30,31 Individuals with MS have significantly less ability to maintain balance in SLS compared with those without MS. 32 …”