2BaÅŸkent University, Medical Faculty, Department of Phsical Medicine and Rehabilitation, ANKARA Introduction: Age-related neural and sensory deteriorations and decline of the musculoskeletal systems affect balance and increase the risk of fall. Our objective in this study is to determine how balance and the risk of fall are affected by increasing age, and search the role of trunk muscle strength on balance.
Materials and Method: A total of 90 female voluntary participants were divided into the age groups of 20–39, 40–59 and ³60 years (n = 30 for each group). Static balance abilities and the fall risks of the subjects were determined using a computer-aided static posturography device and their trunk muscle strength at 60°/s and 120°/s were assessed using the isokinetic dynamometer equipment.
Results: When the 20–39 age groups are compared with 40–59 and ³60 age groups regarding the balance measurements, higher index values at low and medium frequency oscillations were detected. Assessment of the correlation between age and Fourier indexes showed that more balance scores were found to deteriorate with increasing age. The deterioration in the balance parameters was observed to be correlated with the trunk flexor and extensor muscle strength, reducing with increasing age.
Conclusion: It was determined that static balance parameters tend to deteriorate and the risk of falls increases with increasing age. The decreasing trunk muscle strength was found to be related to the decline in balance ability and an increased risk of falling.
Keywords : Yaşlı; Postural Denge; Düşme Riski