Effects of stimulating surface during static upright posture in the elderly

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the influence of three stimulating surfaces based on center of pressure (CoP), anteroposterior sway velocity (V_A/P), and medio-lateral sway velocity (V_M/L) of 40 elderly subjects. CoP and V_M/L showed a significant decrease in all visual conditions only in the stimulating surface whereas V_A/P showed a significant decrease only on the same surface with eyes open. Results confirm the importance of multisensory stimulation in postural control in the elderly.