Exploring the Effect of Prolonged Ankle Plantar-Flexed Standing on Postural Control, Balance Confidence, Falls Efficacy, and Perceived Balance in Older Adults
<b>Background/Objectives:</b> Postural control describes our ability to maintain an upright position. This study explored the impact of prolonged ankle plantar-flexed standing on postural control variability and strategy in an older adult population. The ability to perceive balance chang...
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MDPI AG
2025-03-01
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| author | Daniel Craig Low |
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| description | <b>Background/Objectives:</b> Postural control describes our ability to maintain an upright position. This study explored the impact of prolonged ankle plantar-flexed standing on postural control variability and strategy in an older adult population. The ability to perceive balance change was also assessed via subjective balance-related variables. <b>Methods:</b> Twenty-four community-dwelling older adults were recruited via convenience sampling. Each participant completed a balance confidence and falls efficacy questionnaire at baseline. Five barefoot quiet standing trials on a force plate then followed (Timepoint 1). After this, the participants stood with their ankles in a plantar-flexed position for up to 7.5 min before completing another quiet standing trial on the force plate. Four further ankle plantar-flexed standing trials of 2 min were then completed, interspersed with quiet standing trials on a force plate (Timepoint 2). The balance confidence and falls efficacy questionnaires were then completed again. For measures of postural control variability (sway path length, root mean square [RMS], sway area) and strategy (fractal dimension), mean values for the five trials were calculated for Timepoints 1 and 2 separately. <b>Results:</b> The sway path length and RMS measures were significantly increased (<i>p</i> < 0.05) at Timepoint 2. However, the fractal dimension did not change. There was also no change in balance confidence or falls efficacy. <b>Conclusions:</b> The findings suggest that prolonged standing can impact measures of postural variability without a change in postural control strategy. Postural control change also occurred without a change in subjective balance measures, suggesting that the altered balance may not be practically significant or perceptible to the individual. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Matheson Library |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-bcbf8f80dc924e418365b71e3324e47f2025-06-25T13:30:52ZengMDPI AGBiomechanics2673-70782025-03-01521910.3390/biomechanics5020019Exploring the Effect of Prolonged Ankle Plantar-Flexed Standing on Postural Control, Balance Confidence, Falls Efficacy, and Perceived Balance in Older AdultsDaniel Craig Low0Centre for Physical Activity in Health and Disease, Brunel University of London, London UB8 3PH, UK<b>Background/Objectives:</b> Postural control describes our ability to maintain an upright position. This study explored the impact of prolonged ankle plantar-flexed standing on postural control variability and strategy in an older adult population. The ability to perceive balance change was also assessed via subjective balance-related variables. <b>Methods:</b> Twenty-four community-dwelling older adults were recruited via convenience sampling. Each participant completed a balance confidence and falls efficacy questionnaire at baseline. Five barefoot quiet standing trials on a force plate then followed (Timepoint 1). After this, the participants stood with their ankles in a plantar-flexed position for up to 7.5 min before completing another quiet standing trial on the force plate. Four further ankle plantar-flexed standing trials of 2 min were then completed, interspersed with quiet standing trials on a force plate (Timepoint 2). The balance confidence and falls efficacy questionnaires were then completed again. For measures of postural control variability (sway path length, root mean square [RMS], sway area) and strategy (fractal dimension), mean values for the five trials were calculated for Timepoints 1 and 2 separately. <b>Results:</b> The sway path length and RMS measures were significantly increased (<i>p</i> < 0.05) at Timepoint 2. However, the fractal dimension did not change. There was also no change in balance confidence or falls efficacy. <b>Conclusions:</b> The findings suggest that prolonged standing can impact measures of postural variability without a change in postural control strategy. Postural control change also occurred without a change in subjective balance measures, suggesting that the altered balance may not be practically significant or perceptible to the individual.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7078/5/2/19postural variabilitypostural strategyfatigueolder people |
| spellingShingle | Daniel Craig Low Exploring the Effect of Prolonged Ankle Plantar-Flexed Standing on Postural Control, Balance Confidence, Falls Efficacy, and Perceived Balance in Older Adults Biomechanics postural variability postural strategy fatigue older people |
| title | Exploring the Effect of Prolonged Ankle Plantar-Flexed Standing on Postural Control, Balance Confidence, Falls Efficacy, and Perceived Balance in Older Adults |
| title_full | Exploring the Effect of Prolonged Ankle Plantar-Flexed Standing on Postural Control, Balance Confidence, Falls Efficacy, and Perceived Balance in Older Adults |
| title_fullStr | Exploring the Effect of Prolonged Ankle Plantar-Flexed Standing on Postural Control, Balance Confidence, Falls Efficacy, and Perceived Balance in Older Adults |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring the Effect of Prolonged Ankle Plantar-Flexed Standing on Postural Control, Balance Confidence, Falls Efficacy, and Perceived Balance in Older Adults |
| title_short | Exploring the Effect of Prolonged Ankle Plantar-Flexed Standing on Postural Control, Balance Confidence, Falls Efficacy, and Perceived Balance in Older Adults |
| title_sort | exploring the effect of prolonged ankle plantar flexed standing on postural control balance confidence falls efficacy and perceived balance in older adults |
| topic | postural variability postural strategy fatigue older people |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7078/5/2/19 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT danielcraiglow exploringtheeffectofprolongedankleplantarflexedstandingonposturalcontrolbalanceconfidencefallsefficacyandperceivedbalanceinolderadults |