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Results for “Balance ability”

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At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
PubMed1999

Effects of muscular fatigue on knee joint laxity and neuromuscular characteristics of male and female athletes.

OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the effects of muscular fatigue on knee joint laxity and the neuromuscular characteristics of male and female athletes. We were particularly interested in determining whether such effects would be more pronounced in female athletes than in males participating in the same sport. DESIGN AND SETTING: Subjects were assessed on 4 dependent variables during a rested and an isokinetically induced muscular fatigue state. We ensured that posttesting measurements were obtained in the fatigued state by testing only 2 dependent variables after each exercise bout. SUBJECTS: We recruited male (n = 17) and female (n = 17) subjects from a population of healthy collegiate basketball and soccer players. MEASUREMENTS: MEASURED DEPENDENT VARIABLES WERE AS FOLLOWS: anterior tibial translation, kinesthesia determined by assessing the threshold to detection of passive motion moving into knee flexion and extension; lower extremity balance ability quantified through a stability index value; and the electromyography-measured muscle activity of 6 knee-stabilizing muscles. RESULTS: In response to muscular fatigue, subjects demonstrated an overall decrease in the ability to detect joint motion moving into the direction of extension, an increase in the onset of contraction time for the medial hamstring and lateral gastrocnemius muscles, and an increase in the first contraction area of the vastus medialis and vastus lateralis muscles. Additionally, the increase in area of the vastus lateralis was greater for the males compared with the females. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that both male and female athletes exhibit decrements in proprioceptive ability and alterations in muscular activity subsequent to muscular fatigue.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1988

Motor proficiency associated with vestibular deficits in children with hearing impairments.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of vestibular function to motor proficiency, including balance, in children with hearing impairments. Thirteen children with normal hearing and 29 children with hearing impairments, ranging in age from 7 to 13 years, were classified into categories based on vestibular function using neuro-otologic measures (ie, vestibulo-ocular reflex function and posturography). Children in each category were tested for motor proficiency using clinical assessment measures (eg, balance, muscle tone, and coordination). The test results indicated that the children with hearing impairments and normal peripheral vestibular function (n = 7) exhibited normal motor proficiency, including balance. The children with hearing impairments and loss of peripheral vestibular sensitivity (n = 19) also demonstrated normal motor proficiency, except for balance ability. The children with hearing impairments and sensory organization deficits (n = 3), however, exhibited motor deficits in many areas. The results of this study indicate that motor proficiency in children with hearing impairments depends on vestibular function. Interventions for motor deficits in children with hearing impairments, therefore, must consider vestibular function as well as motor performance.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Severity of alcohol-induced deficits in rats during the third trimester equivalent is determined by the pattern of exposure.

The pattern of alcohol exposure has been suggested to be an important determinant of fetal alcohol effects. Rats were exposed to alcohol and reared artificially on postnatal days (PD) 4-10. A uniform alcohol exposure group received alcohol (6.6 g/kg/day) in 12 daily feedings (every 2 hrs) resulting in stable BACs below 100 mg/dl. A condensed alcohol exposure group also received 6.6 g/kg/day but the alcohol was concentrated in 4 of 12 daily feedings giving peak BACs above 400 mg/dl. Condensed alcohol exposure induced a large degree of microencephaly on PD 10 which was still present on PD 90. Uniform exposure caused a mild degree of microencephaly on PD 10 which could not be detected at PD 90. Correlated with these brain changes were changes in behavior during development. Condensed exposure to alcohol increased locomotion during postnatal days 14 to 20. Condensed alcohol exposure caused delays in the development of balancing ability and coordinated hindlimb movements. Thus, the pattern of alcohol exposure appears more critical than the dose in determining the degree of damage inflicted by alcohol to the developing central nervous system.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Ethanol exposure during brain ontogeny: some long-term effects.

The timing, intensity, and duration of the period of maximal susceptibility of the developing brain to ethanol have not been clearly elucidated. This study was designed to determine whether a lower blood ethanol concentration (BEC) or a brief exposure during the brain growth spurt in the rat might cause permanent brain damage. Two doses of ethanol (4 g/kg body weight daily during days 6-16 after birth and 6 g/kg on day 6 only after birth) were used. Significant differences in whole brain weight, a disproportionately decreased cerebellar weight, altered balancing ability, and a decreased number of cerebellar cells were observed on days 17 and 70 postnatally in both ethanol-treated groups as compared with controls. Cerebellar weight a both ages were more markedly affected in animals treated only on day 6 postnatally than in animals treated throughout the major portion of the brain growth spurt. These results suggest that episodic exposure to ethanol during peak brain growth may be just as devastating to brain development as chronic exposure throughout the major portion of the brain growth spurt.

Abnormalities, Drug-Induced↗
PubMed1995

Dizziness Handicap Inventory correlates of computerized dynamic posturography.

To assess the handicapping effect of dizziness related to posture and balance, the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) and Computerized Dynamic Posturography (CDP) were used to assess 101 consecutive patients referred for neurotologic evaluation of dizziness. Most patients, regardless of diagnosis, related some level of preexisting handicap, most often in the DHI Physical subscale. Generally, females and patients with bilateral lesions scored higher in all DHI subscales. No clinically useful correlations emerged between DHI and CDP testing, although DHI scores were marginally higher for patients failing CDP conditions. Functional balance ability could not be correlated with patient handicap, but a literature review suggests that the desynchrony between dizziness signs and symptoms may be related to underlying patient anxiety and differences in coping strategies.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed2005

Mechanisms underlying age-related differences in ability to recover balance with the ankle strategy.

Falls cause substantial death and morbidity in the elderly. An important prerequisite to the development of fall prevention interventions is improved understanding of the biomechanical and neuromuscular variables that govern ability to recover balance. In the present study, we examined the relative importance of strength versus speed of response variables in explaining differences in balance recovery performance with the ankle strategy between young and elderly women. Twenty-five young (19-36 years) and 25 community-dwelling elderly women (66-90 years) participated in balance recovery experiments. Subjects were supported in an inclined standing position by a horizontal tether and instructed to recover an upright vertical standing position by contracting their ankle muscles. The maximum initial lean angle from which they could recover balance without release of the tether (which depends primarily on strength) was 19.6% smaller for elderly than young. The maximum initial lean angle from which they could recover balance after the tether was suddenly released (which depends on both strength and speed of response) was 36.1% smaller for elderly than young. Moreover, between-group differences in performance were related to both strength and speed of response. Peak ankle torque was 7.7% smaller in elderly than young during dynamic recovery trials; reaction time was 27% slower in elderly, due to a lengthened muscle response latency, and rate of ankle torque generation was 15.6% slower in elderly. These results suggest that differences in ability to recover balance between young and elderly women associate with variables related to strength and speed of response, and that exercise-based fall prevention programs should include balance and agility training, in addition to strength training.

Accidental Falls↗
PubMed1998

Prenatal exposure to alcohol affects the ability to maintain postural balance.

Prenatal exposure to alcohol is known to affect gross motor functioning. Animal studies have shown that balance is particularly affected, and there is some evidence that similar deficits exist in alcohol-exposed children. In the current study, postural balance, or the ability to maintain equilibrium, was assessed in a group of alcohol-exposed children (ALC group; n = 11) and controls (NC group; n = 11) individually matched for age and sex. Balance was measured across six conditions designed to systematically manipulate or eliminate visual or somatosensory information. Equilibrium and strategy scores for each condition and a derived composite balance score were analyzed. Although the ALC group had a lower mean composite balance score, their performance was similar to that of the NC group on all conditions where somatosensory input was reliable. However, when somatosensory input was manipulated, and when both somatosensory and visual input were inaccurate, the ALC group performed more poorly than controls. Interestingly, there were no differences between the ALC group and NC group in the type of control strategy used to maintain balance. These results suggest that alcohol-exposed children are overly reliant on somatosensory input. When this input is atypical, alcohol-exposed children display significantly greater anterior-posterior body sway and are unable to compensate using available visual or vestibular information. These deficits may be related to cerebellar anomalies previously reported in fetal alcohol syndrome children.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Somatosensory evoked potentials of the posterior tibial nerve in hemiparetic patients: relation to stance balance and walking ability.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between stance ability and walking performance of poststroke hemiplegic patients and their posterior tibial nerve somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs). DESIGN AND SETTING: Fifteen patients, residents of a geriatric rehabilitation hospital, were evaluated twice, with a 2-week interval between sessions. In each session, clinical tests of stance balance and walking ability were performed, and bilateral SEPs to stimulation of the posterior tibial nerve were recorded. Eight healthy, age-matched control subjects underwent the same tests in a single session, but SEPs were recorded unilaterally. Correlation analysis and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used for studying the prognostic value of the initial posterior tibial nerve SEP measurements as well as the within- and between-sessions relationships between the clinical-functional tests and the SEP data. RESULTS: No significant correlations between the initial SEP values and functional improvement were established. Within each session, positive significant correlations existed between decreased latencies of several of the medium-latency SEP waves and the performance of stance and gait tasks. However, the between-sessions improvement in stance balance was not correlated with a decrease in latency of the SEP peaks or with an increase in their amplitudes. As to walking ability, in those patients whose gait significantly improved, a significant shortening of P37 and P54 latencies took place. CONCLUSIONS: The association between the initial and/or the 2-week changes in SEP of the posterior tibial nerve and improvement in stance and walking abilities is equivocal. In addition, the applicability of SEP measurements is limited by patients' physical status and cooperation. The clinical significance of posterior tibial nerve SEP testing in poststroke hemiparetic patients is therefore debatable.

Aged↗
PubMed2002

Mood states and anxiety influence abilities to maintain balance control in healthy human subjects.

Previous studies have shown that anxiety and balance disorders could be related; however, the association between psychological processes and equilibrium remains ambiguous. In this study, we have examined whether mood states and anxiety may influence the ability to use the somatosensory, visual and vestibular systems and affect balance control in healthy subjects. Seven male students were submitted to a program testing equilibrium over a 12-day period, during which moods and anxiety states were assessed using self-evaluated questionnaires. Significant negative correlations were found between moods, including anxiety, and the subject's sensory and motor systems of balance control, suggesting that low moods may alter balance performance. However, depending on the type of mood, it is likely that adverse changes in mood states may affect balance in different ways, either through the sensory organization or motor control.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Assessment of static balance in children.

The ability in maintaining body balance of 6-, 8-, and 10-year-old children performing three balance tests on a force platform was studied. Thirty adult subjects served as a reference group. The mean radius (MR) of the posturogram and the mean speed (MS) of the center of foot pressure (COP) were used as the measuring parameters. Data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA, the Sheffe test and the Student "t" test with a .05 level of significance. A decrease with age in both mean radius and mean speed, indicating an increase in balance ability, was noted. A significant age main effect was found on all tests while significant gender main effect occurred only on the Tandem test. No significant age/sex interaction was found. Significant differences between the 10-year-old and adult groups occurred only in the more difficult balance tests.

Biomechanical Phenomena↗
PubMed2004

A randomized controlled trial of weight-bearing versus non-weight-bearing exercise for improving physical ability after usual care for hip fracture.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of weight-bearing and non-weight-bearing home exercise programs and a control program on physical ability (strength, balance, gait, functional performance) in older people who have had a hip fracture. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial with 4-month follow-up. SETTING: Australian community-dwellers (82%) and residents of aged care facilities who had completed usual care after a fall-related hip fracture. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred twenty older people entered the trial, 40 per group (average age +/- standard deviation, 79+/-9y) and 90% completed the 4-month retest. INTERVENTION: Home exercise prescribed by a physical therapist. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Strength, balance, gait, and functional performance. RESULTS: At the 4-month retest, there were differences between the groups in the extent of improvement since the initial assessment for balance (F(10,196)=2.82, P<.001) and functional performance (F(6,200)=3.57, P<.001), but not for strength (F(12,190)=1.09, P=.37) or gait (F(8,200)=.39, P=.92). The weight-bearing exercise group showed the greatest improvements in measures of balance and functional performance (between-group differences of 30%-40% of initial values). CONCLUSIONS: A weight-bearing home exercise program can improve balance and functional ability to a greater extent than a non-weight-bearing program or no intervention among older people who have completed usual care after a fall-related hip fracture.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed2002

A program to prevent functional decline in physically frail, elderly persons who live at home.

BACKGROUND: Functional decline in physically frail, elderly persons is associated with substantial morbidity. It is uncertain whether such functional decline can be prevented. METHODS: We randomly assigned 188 persons 75 years of age or older who were physically frail and living at home to undergo a six-month, home-based intervention program that included physical therapy and that focused primarily on improving underlying impairments in physical abilities, including balance, muscle strength, ability to transfer from one position to another, and mobility, or to undergo an educational program (as a control). The primary outcome was the change between base line and 3, 7, and 12 months in the score on a disability scale based on eight activities of daily living: walking, bathing, upper- and lower-body dressing, transferring from a chair, using the toilet, eating, and grooming. Scores on the scale ranged from 0 to 16, with higher scores indicating more severe disability. RESULTS: Participants in the intervention group had less functional decline over time, according to their disability scores, than participants in the control group. The disability scores in the intervention and control groups were 2.3 and 2.8, respectively, at base line; 2.0 and 3.6 at 7 months (P=0.008 for the comparison between the groups in the change from base line); and 2.7 and 4.2 at 12 months (P=0.02). The benefit of the intervention was observed among participants with moderate frailty but not those with severe frailty. The frequency of admission to a nursing home did not differ significantly between the intervention group and the control group (14 percent and 19 percent, respectively; P=0.37). CONCLUSIONS: A home-based program targeting underlying impairments in physical abilities can reduce the progression of functional decline among physically frail, elderly persons who live at home.

Accidental Falls↗
PubMed1997

The influence of the reciprocal hip joint link in the Advanced Reciprocating Gait Orthosis on standing performance in paraplegia.

The effect of reciprocally linking the hip hinges of a hip-knee-ankle-foot orthosis on standing performance was studied in a comparative trial of the Advanced Reciprocating Gait Orthosis (ARGO) and an ARGO in which the Bowden cable was removed (A_GO). Six male subjects with spinal cord injury (SCI) at T4 to T12 level participated in the study, which was conducted using a single case experimental design. Standing balance, the ability to handle balance disturbances (standing stability), and the performance of a functional hand task during standing were assessed in both orthosis configurations in the order A_GO-ARGO-A_GO-ARGO. No significant differences with respect to standing performance were found for the two orthosis configurations. However, the results indicate that the crutch force needed for maintaining balance during various tasks, especially for quiet standing with two crutches, may be much higher in the orthosis without Bowden cable. Therefore, it is very likely that the reciprocal hip joint link in the ARGO provides a substantial and clinically relevant reduction of upper body effort required for standing under functional conditions.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Sensorimotor and balance function in older adults with lumbar nerve root compression.

The purpose of this study was to determine how sensorimotor status and balance control would be affected by lumbar nerve root compression in older adults. The vibration sense, joint motion sense, and strength of the lower legs of healthy older adults and older patients with lumbar nerve root compression (n = 17 each group) were tested for sensorimotor function. The motion of the center of pressure during quiet standing, center of pressure during forward reach, and the score on Berg's functional balance test were examined for static, dynamic, and functional balance control abilities, respectively. It was found that the patient group had significantly weaker strength, greater center of pressure motion during quiet stance, slower center of pressure motion, shorter distance during forward reach test, and lower functional balance ability. No significant sensory deterioration was found. Older patients with lumbar nerve root compression had weaker leg muscle strength and poorer balance control than healthy older adults. A thorough examination of strength and balance should be included in the clinical treatment for patients with lumbar nerve root compression.

Age Factors↗
PubMed2006

Trunk performance after stroke and the relationship with balance, gait and functional ability.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate trunk performance in non-acute and chronic stroke patients by means of the Trunk Control Test and Trunk Impairment Scale and to compare the Trunk Control Test with the Trunk Impairment Scale and its subscales in relation to balance, gait and functional ability after stroke. SUBJECTS: Fifty-one stroke patients, attending a rehabilitation programme, participated in the study. MAIN MEASURES: SUBJECTS were evaluated with the Trunk Control Test, Trunk Impairment Scale, Tnetti balance and gait subscales, Functional Ambulation Category, 10-m walk test, Timed Up and Go Test and motor part of the Functional Independence Measure. RESULTS: Participants obtained a median score of 61 out of 100 on the Trunk Control Test and 11 out of 23 for the Trunk Impairment Scale. Twelve participants (24%) obtained the maximum score on the Trunk Control Test; no subject reached the maximum score on the Trunk Impairment Scale. Measures of trunk performance were significantly related with values of balance, gait and functional ability. Multivariate linear regression analysis showed an additional, significant contribution of the dynamic sitting balance subscale of the Trunk Impairment Scale in addition to the Trunk Control Test total score for measures of gait and functional ability (model R2 = 0.55-0.62). CONCLUSIONS: This study clearly indicates that trunk performance is still impaired in non-acute and chronic stroke patients. When planning future follow-up studies, use of the Trunk Impairment Scale has the advantage that it has no ceiling effect.

Abdomen↗
PubMed2003

Relations of balance function and gross motor ability for children with cerebral palsy.

To investigate the relations between the balance function and gross motor ability, we recruited 15 children with cerebral palsy from 5 to 12 years in age. Balance function was tested by the Smart Balance Master System and by clinical tests. The Motor Age test was used to test gross motor ability. Analysis showed that postural stability in eyes open, eyes closed, and swaying vision conditions (visual surrounding swaying with body sway), the duration of one leg standing, and the duration of maintaining a heel-to-toe position were significantly correlated with gross motor ability. Postural stability in the eyes-closed condition was the best predicting factor and could explain 64% of the variability of gross motor ability. Whether the training of postural stability in eyes-closed condition can improve the gross motor function needs further study.

Cerebral Palsy↗
PubMed2000

Defining and measuring balance in adults.

The ability to maintain balance is often taken for granted, yet it is the foundation for mobility and overall functional independence throughout the life span. The purpose of this article is to define balance, review the components of balance, and describe common instruments used to measure balance. Clinical screening instruments, functional performance tests, and technological measures of balance are reviewed addressing their uses, strengths, and limitations.

Activities of Daily Living↗