[Characteristics of postural balance components in elderly women with fear of falling.]

Abstract

The present study was aimed at identifying the characteristics of the components of postural balance in elderly women with a fear of falling (FOF). A total of 150 women aged 63-74 years who had experienced two or more falls within 12 months (postural instability) were examined. The study group included women who were found to have a fear of falling. The comparison group included women without the fear. To assess the components of postural balance, the Sensory Organization Test (SOT) and Motor Control Test (MCT) on the Smart Equitest Balance Manager computer complex of dynamic posturography were performed. Analysis of the SOT and MCT results revealed that elderly women with a fear of falling experienced decreased general postural stability and automatic postural control, reduced vestibular information in balance control, and increased time of coordinated motor reactions. In addition, this group of women showed an increase in the speed and area of oscillatory movements of the center of gravity while maintaining static-dynamic balance. The obtained results of the study indicate that the development of fear of falls in elderly women with postural instability is a consequence of the deterioration of not only their sense of postural stabilization, but also orientation, leading to reduced spatial relationships with the external environment, which significantly increases the risk of subsequent falls. Moreover, the decrease in neuromuscular and vestibular control in postural balance can be considered as important, and possibly even primary factors in the development of this phobia in elderly women with postural instability.