Spectral characteristics of aging postural control

Low Levels of Attentional Interference have Similar Effects on Static Balance Control of Typically Developing Children and Those with Symptoms of Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD)

“…As evident from group data, the dominant frequency (f mode ) of the signal for both groups, and across both conditions, was comparable and close to 1 Hz. These values are in line with previously reported data for typically developing children [44,32], thus indicating that participants in the present study did not exhibit extensive corrective adjustments [30]. Also, although there was an increase in frequency mode with the addition of the attentional load, the values still remained in the low end of the frequency spectrum (around 1 Hz), thus indicating that the balance control processes were not jeopardized substantially.…”

“…This pattern of behaviour was evident around 7 y of age, when typically developing children start to display more mature levels of performance. These inferences are also in line with the adult literature revealing low frequency/ low power sway during quiet standing [30]. Thus, collectively the frequency domain analyses failed to show substantial differences between the groups, which is also in line with the findings emerging from the traditional measures of sway.…”

“…These variables included frequency dispersion (f sd ; Hz), mode (f mode ; Hz), and peak power density (Pp; cm 2 / Hz). As previously stated in the literature, frequency dispersion captures the distribution of energy at different frequencies, and how it is dispersed around the mean frequency [30]. Frequency mode is the frequency value characterized by the dominating peak in amplitude of the signal [30], whereas peak power is representative of the largest peak in amplitude of the signal [32].…”

“…In other words, the reveal the degree of variability within the frequency signal, with smaller values indicate more consistency of postural control behavior. Frequency mode is another useful variable which represents a frequency value corresponding to the dominant peak amplitude of the signal power density [30]. For quiet standing, larger power density values (>1 Hz) imply greater rates of change of the COP, thus a less optimal performance [31,32].…”

Cluster Analysis of Center-of-Pressure Measures

“…A fall happens when stability is adequately disturbed, and time control and muscular strength are not sufficient to recover or adapt to these perturbations. Aging affects the forces used to control posture (Mcclenaghan et al, 1996). There are many additional age-associated factors contributing to a decline in stability, such as balance or gait disorders (Lord, Menz, & Tiedemann, 2003), and cognitive impairments, particularly a misperception of orientation (Jensen, Nyberg, Gustafson, & Lundin-Olsson, 2003).…”