THORACIC HYPERKYPHOSIS DOES NOT INFLUENCE THE BALANCE IN SEDENTARY ELDERLY

ABSTRACT Objective: Evaluate and correlate balance and thoracic hyperkyphosis in sedentary elderly people. Methods: 61 elderly, 14 men and 47 women, mean age of 78.03 ± 9.34, mean weight of 67.80 kg ± 12.82, and mean height of 1.58 m ± 0.09. Balance assessment was performed using the Berg Balance Scale, Romberg Test, and Functional Reach Test, and the Flexicurve method was used to detect thoracic hyperkyphosis. The correlation between the variables was performed using the Bivariate correlation test. Results: The values obtained in the tests were: Flexicurve (65.73º ± 10.57), Berg Balance Scale (44.05 points ± 7.58), Functional Reach Test (16.29 cm ± 6.36), and Romberg Test (89% positive, 11% negative). There was no correlation between the Flexicurve method and the Berg Balance Scale (r = -0.22, p = 0.08); with the Romberg Test (r = -0.08, p = 0.52); and the Functional Range Test (r = 0.13 p = 0.31). Conclusion: Thoracic hyperkyphosis did not influence the balance variables in the elderly sample studied. Level of evidence I; Diagnostic studies - Investigation of a diagnostic test - Test of previously developed diagnostic criteria in consecutive patients (with “gold” reference standard applied).