Page 145 - Petelin, Ana, Nejc Šarabon, eds. 2018. Zdravje starostnikov ▪︎ Health of the Elderly. Zbornik povzetkov z recenzijo ▪︎ Book of Abstracts. Koper: Založba Univerze na Primorskem/University of Primorska Press
P. 145
sitivity of balance tests to alterations in body sway control telesna (ne)aktivnost in njen pomen ... | physical (in)activity and its importance ...
due to aging
Jernej Rošker,1 Nejc Šarabon1,2
1 University of Primorska, Faculty of Health Sciences, Polje 42, 6310 Izola, Slovenia
2 S2P, Science to practice, Ltd., Tehnološki park 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Introduction: Clinical practice uses different assessment approaches in order
to screen for age-related decline in balance control. For such tests to be useful,
their metric characteristics must be appropriate. One of such characteristics is
the ability to differentiate between different age groups.
Methods: By measuring balance of 25 young (23.5 ± 4.1 years) and 25 elderly
(81.2 ± 7.3 years) adults, discrimination power (ROC curve) of six balance test
was assessed (star excursion balance test, forward lunge, quick step, leaning
forwards and backwards, forward reach and centre-of-pressure (CoP) track-
ing).
Results: At least one parameter had high discriminating power in all tests ob-
served (ROC area > 0.8, p < 0.05, d > 0.8). In this study, CoP was measured
during the star excursion balance test that enabled more specific insight into
balance control. These CoP derived parameters proved to have high discrimi-
native power. The interaction effect between age, length of reach and reach di-
rection was insignificant. On the contrary, the interaction effect was significant
for the frequency of CoP direction changes in anterior-posterior direction.
Discussion and conclusions: The results of this study enable clinicians and other
experts dealing with motor decline in elderly to use more valid and useful pa-
rameters in different balance tests. Consequently, well-timed and more appro-
priate intervention strategies can be applied.
Keywords: posture, metric characteristics, elderly adults, young adults, fall
prevention
143
due to aging
Jernej Rošker,1 Nejc Šarabon1,2
1 University of Primorska, Faculty of Health Sciences, Polje 42, 6310 Izola, Slovenia
2 S2P, Science to practice, Ltd., Tehnološki park 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Introduction: Clinical practice uses different assessment approaches in order
to screen for age-related decline in balance control. For such tests to be useful,
their metric characteristics must be appropriate. One of such characteristics is
the ability to differentiate between different age groups.
Methods: By measuring balance of 25 young (23.5 ± 4.1 years) and 25 elderly
(81.2 ± 7.3 years) adults, discrimination power (ROC curve) of six balance test
was assessed (star excursion balance test, forward lunge, quick step, leaning
forwards and backwards, forward reach and centre-of-pressure (CoP) track-
ing).
Results: At least one parameter had high discriminating power in all tests ob-
served (ROC area > 0.8, p < 0.05, d > 0.8). In this study, CoP was measured
during the star excursion balance test that enabled more specific insight into
balance control. These CoP derived parameters proved to have high discrimi-
native power. The interaction effect between age, length of reach and reach di-
rection was insignificant. On the contrary, the interaction effect was significant
for the frequency of CoP direction changes in anterior-posterior direction.
Discussion and conclusions: The results of this study enable clinicians and other
experts dealing with motor decline in elderly to use more valid and useful pa-
rameters in different balance tests. Consequently, well-timed and more appro-
priate intervention strategies can be applied.
Keywords: posture, metric characteristics, elderly adults, young adults, fall
prevention
143
