Age-related Differences in Postural Control: Role of Sensory Information

Postural control requires the integration of sensory information in the visual, vestibular, and senses the body systems. Also research has shown that the sensory systems involved in postural control, decreased with increasing age. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of age and manipulation of sensory information on the postural control. For this purpose, displacement of the anterior - posterior, middle – lateral and speed center of pressure (COP) 22 elderly (59/54 ± 2/31 year) and 25 young men (23/12±3/26 year) that selected based on target and availability from Shahid Chamran University students and staff in four different sensory conditions including 1) open eyes an hard surface 2) eyes open on soft surface3) eyes closed on hard surface 4) eyes closed on soft surface during three 30-second efforts with 5 min rest intervals between efforts evaluated. After investigating the data normality with kolmogorov smirnov and equality of variance using the leven test, data using multivariable variance analysis and one-way variance analysis was analyzed. Significant differences was observed between young and elderly groups in all conditions, also removes the visual and plantar proprioceptive information lead to increased sway in the two groups that increase was greater in the elderly than in young group. This results indicate the importance of visual information and plantar proprioceptive in postural control, especially in the elderly.