Is Dynamic Balance Related to Static Balance in Healthy Active Older Women?

Background: Both static and dynamic balance are impacted by vision, vestibular sense, proprioception, muscle strength and reaction time; both are associated with fall risks and each may be enhanced as a result of exercise. We examined whether static balance components, representing the multisensory perturbation approach, are related to dynamic balance measures.

Methods: Seventy-eight healthy active women (age 73.5±5.9) were assessed during quiet standing in eight positions manipulating visual and somatosensory input, and challenging the vestibular system. Measures in each position included stability indices examining the amount of sway, and the Fourier spectrum of sway – examining sway intensities at different frequency ranges. Dynamic balance measures included the Time Up & Go (TUG) and a 10m walk, both of which require change of base of support, and the Functional Reach (FR) (distance) – reaching forward while maintaining a fixed base of support.

Results: Results showed no correlations between static and dynamic balance in most cases; few correlations of TUG with spectrum of sway; high correlations among the dynamic balance measurements – TUG and 10m walks; and no correlation between FR and TUG.

Discussion and Conclusions: Static and dynamic balance are independent of each other in healthy active older women, as are dynamic balance tasks performed with (TUG) and without (FR) changing the base of support. Possibly, in healthy older women important balance capacities are unrelated and should be trained in a complementary agenda to prevent falls.