A posturography study of balance in physically active young, adult and older women

The aim of the study was to evaluate differences in parameters of body balance between women at various ages. The body balance was measured by computer posturographic system (PE 90) in so called “feedback system”. Three groups of subjects were examined: a) 33 female physical education students aged 22.4±0.7 years (group A), b) 22 women aged 43.5±6.4 years (group B), c) 19 women aged 66.5±8.5 years (group C). It was found that in the comparison of group A young physically active women with group B higher values of posturographic parameters were observed in the younger group in respect to maximum left deflection (MDL) – 5.0 mm, p≤0.01 and maximum right deflection (MDR) – 4.6 mm, p≤0.01. In the comparison of group A with group C higher values of balance parameters were observed in younger women in mean radius (MR) – 0.5 mm, p≤0.05, sway area (SA) – 205.8 mm2 , p≤0.01, total length (TL) – 47.5 mm, p≤0.05, length of left-toright deflection (LDL-R) – 40.1, p≤0.05, mean velocity of left-to-right movement (MSL-R) – 1.3 mm/s, p≤0.05, maximum deflection in movements to the left (MDL) – 5.7 mm, p≤0.01 and to the right (MDR) – 4.6 mm, p≤0.01 and maximum back deflection (MDB) – 6.6 mm, p≤0.01. Contrary to the expectations in young and physically active women, in the studied set of conditions, movements were observed to be larger, less stable, which was indicated by a larger sway area of deflections and the scope of vertical movement of centre of gravity, than in older women.