The Relationship Between Postural Control and Self-Reported Engagement in Physical Activity in Young and Older Age

Abstract

Physical activity is known to have beneficial effects on a host of factors related to physical and mental health, and positively affects postural control. However, there is no agreement on which measures of postural control and to what extent they are dependent on the past and present physical activity in older adults. To answer this question we compared the postural performance in a 20-s quiet stance with eyes open on a Kistler force plate in 38 subjects, aged 60-92, who were formerly and are currently physically active (AA) with those who were always inactive (II) and those who were either formerly (AI) or are currently (IA) active. Results indicated that only current activity promoted better postural control while former activity was ineffective. Postural control in AA and IA was very similar and much better than in II and AI who, in contrast, displayed similarly deteriorated postural control.

Characteristics of Standing Postural Control in Women under Additional Load

“…In light of demographic, social, and economic changes, studies should be carried out on the working-age cohort (taking into account the trend towards a greater proportion of manual workers) and women of retirement age. This is in line with the conclusions of Schiffman et al [2] and Wojciechowskiej-Maszkowskiej et al [29] with regard to the need for continuous research into postural control. This research is needed to determine the dynamic characteristics of COP time series in response to applied loads and to minimize the risk of falls.…”

Balance performance analysis after the COVID-19 quarantine in children aged between 8 and 12 years old: Longitudinal study

“…Our data showed that the lack or low physical activity meant a disadvantage in terms of the postural capacity to perform activities, as the previous study of Eid et al (2017) demonstrated [17] . Another previous study concluded that children who did not regularly practice physical activities obtain a detriment of their postural control [16] .…”

“…Physical activity regularly practised in adults promotes better postural control compared to physically inactive adults, and also compared to those who have been previously physically active, but not anymore [16] . In addition, it is theorised that muscle weakness and hypotonia impair general health and the ability to perform daily activities [17] .…”

Physical Functions among Children before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Prospective Longitudinal Observational Study (Stage 1)

“…In this study, we speculated that this result may be because of inadequate opportunities for children to engage in learning exercises aimed at ensuring the further development of their dynamic balance functions. Other studies have reported that the failure to engage in regular social-based physical activities in children or their decreased participation in such activities may result in decreased balance functions [ 34 , 35 ]. Meanwhile, according to a study conducted by Condon et al, the time spent standing on one leg increases as children become older, especially between seven and eight years of age [ 36 ].…”