Introduction
The thresholds for cutaneous and proprioceptive sensations are mechanisms that may be affected during aging resulting in reduced postural stability.
Objective
Verify proprioception and postural stability in physically active elderly women and verify the correlation between these variables.
Materials and methods
The study group consisted of twenty-five 70.2 ± 6.9 year-old women that practiced hydrogymnastics at moderate intensity for at least three months and two hours per week. Proprioception was tested using an analogic goniometer firmly attached to the knee joint of the preferred lower limb of the subject. The subjects needed to reproduce the knee angles that were first demonstrated passively. The difference between the angles found in each condition (passive x voluntary) was calculated. Postural stability was analyzed using a force platform at the ground level. Using the force data obtained by the force plate the center of pressure (CP) was calculated. Subjects were compared while in a bipedal posture, with their eyes opened (EO) and closed (EC). Data was analyzed using Spermann correlation and Mann-Whitney test, with a significance level of 5%.
Results
No statistically significant difference was found between EO and EC conditions. Proprioception revealed a positive correlation (R = 0.551; p = 0.004) with age and postural stability in the conditions of EO and EC, showing larger amplitudes and velocities of CP displacement (p < 0.05).
Conclusion
Our results suggested that functional losses induced by aging reduces the efficiency of the proprioception system and postural stability.
Postural balance; Proprioception; Aging
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