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BACKGROUND: The incidence of elderly people experiencing falls is currently increasing, which results in serious medical issues, such as fear of falling, limited physical activity, disability, and bone fractures, especially hip fractures. This study aimed to investigate balancing ability using a multi-directional reach test (MDRT) in older adults with and without diabetes mellitus. METHODS: 72 older adults with and without diabetes mellitus were recruited, and divided into two groups, including older adults without diabetes mellitus (n = 36) and older adults with diabetes mellitus (n = 36). All subjects completed all directions of the MDRT. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in MDRT scores in all directions between the two groups (p>0.05). Both groups achieved the highest MDRT scores in the forward direction. In contrast, the two groups had the lowest scores of MDRT in a backward direction. Furthermore, older adults with diabetes mellitus had lower MDRT scores in all directions than older adults without diabetes mellitus. CONCLUSION: The current study indicated that MDRT could be used to investigate the ability of balance in individuals with diabetes mellitus.

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PURPOSE: In the case of Hungarian folk dancers, it is crucial to maintain correct posture and promptly respond to imbalances. However, traditional dances often lack specific training to develop these skills. METHODS: In this present study, twelve dancers (8 male, 4 female, age: 21.7 ± 3.6 years) and ten non-dancers subjects forming a control group (6 male, 4 female, age: 21.6 ± 2.87 years) participated. During the measurements a 60-second long bipedal balancing test on the balance board was completed two times, and a spinning intervention was inserted in between the two sessions. The balance capabilities of the two groups were assessed through the characterization of motion on an unstable board, and the analysis of subject's center of mass and head movements. RESULTS: Dancers applied a more sophisticated and resource-intensive strategy to address the balancing task, yielding a better balancing performance in terms of balance board parameters. By preferring a solid stability in the medio-lateral direction, a greater fluctuation in the anterior-posterior direction can be observed (e.g., significantly lower SampEn values). The overall more successful performance is further evidenced by within-subject comparison since significant differences were observed mostly within the control group. Based on the results, the advanced balancing ability of the folk dancer group is more likely to be acquired through years of experience. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that additional specialized training could further enhance this ability, encouraging the reliance on poorly memorized corrective movements and reducing the risk of injury.

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The Wii balance board (WBB) is a simplified force plate system used to evaluate the balancing ability of the elderly via a sensory interaction task to confirm a significant standing balance index. The accuracy of this system has been verified in previous studies. In this study, an instrumented and modified clinical test of sensory interaction on balance (i-mCTSIB) was performed on 84 elderly subjects, and the variables for center of pressure (CoP) were calculated using WBB for each task condition. The results indicate that the visual condition has a significant effect on the sway proprioceptive sensory variables with a foam condition as their complexity increases. In addition, the correlation between the variable and Berg Balance Scale was not confirmed since CTSIB is a sensory interaction on balance ability. Therefore, WBB can be used to evaluate balancing ability based on sensory interactions consisting of the surface condition.

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Purpose: To systematically evaluate the effect of Baduanjin on the balancing ability of older adults. Methods: The systematic review and meta-analysis followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. Six electronic databases were searched for eligible studies. Data synthesis and statistical analysis using a random effects model were performed with Review Manager 5.4. Random-effects weights were used to pool the effect sizes. Publication bias was assessed by funnel plot. Results: A total of 17 RCTs involving 1,267 patients were identified. The meta-analysis showed that the Baduanjin group was significantly superior to the control group in balancing performance measured by Berg balance scale [mean difference (MD) 4.82; 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.40 to 6.24, P < 0.00001], Timed Up and Go (MD -2.21, 95% CI -2.69 to -1.74, P < 0.00001) and Eye Closed One Leg Standing Balance (MD 2.01, 95% CI 0.79 to 3.23, P < 0.00001) tests. Conclusion: Baduanjin can effectively affect the balancing ability of older adults. More high-quality evidence-based studies are required to confirm these findings. Systematic review registration: [https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=293183], identifier [CRD42021293183].

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INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) affects 1-3% of the entire population. The effectiveness of surgery and rehabilitation are of great significance. The goal of this study was to determine how different surgical methods (i.e., conventional and minimally invasive) influence balancing ability in response to sudden unidirectional perturbation during the first 12 weeks of the postoperative period. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The balancing capacity after sudden unidirectional (horizontal) perturbation of 10 patients who had undergone TKA operations via the conventional method and 10 patients who had undergone TKA operations via the minimally invasive method were examined before and six and 12 weeks after TKA. Forty-five health age-matched participants composed the control group. The balancing capacities following unidirectional perturbation were characterised by the Lehr's damping ratio, which was calculated based on the results of the provocation tests that were performed with the patients standing on both the affected and non-affected limbs. RESULTS: In both patient groups, the Lehr's damping ratios increased during the postoperative period. However, in both patient groups, the Lehr's damping ratios calculated from the results of all three of the testing methods decreased compared to values obtained from the controls even at 12 weeks postoperatively. Six and 12 weeks after TKA, the Lehr's damping ratios of the patients who underwent operations utilising the minimally invasive exposure method were significantly higher than the values obtained from the patients who underwent operations by conventional exposure. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: In both patient groups, the balancing capacities continuously improved over the first 12 weeks of the postoperative period, but the dynamic balancing capacities while standing on both limbs, on the affected limb and on the non-affected limb significantly differed from those of the controls. The balancing capacities of the patients who underwent the minimally invasive exposure procedures improved more rapidly than did the capacities of the patients who underwent operations utilising the conventional exposure method. This reduced balancing capacity should be considered when developing dynamic balancing abilities and abandoning therapeutic aids, and the difference in dynamic balancing abilities between the two patient groups should also be considered.

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The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between balancing ability during abrupt acceleration and the habitual physical activity level of elderly females. Thirty-one elderly females, aged 65-75 years, volunteered for this study. Changes in the center of foot pressure (CFP) were measured during postural sway following platform acceleration, and the response time and CFP displacement were evaluated. The scores of their daily physical activities (TS) -consisting of house-hold activities (HS), leisure time activities (LS) and sports activities (SS) -were estimated by the modified Voorrips's questionaire method. Response time and CFP displacement correlated significantly with age (p<0.001) . Response time also correlated significantly with the SS, LS and TS scores (p<0.05) . CFP displacement also correlated significantly with the SS and TS scores (p<0.05) . These results suggest that postural balancing ability during abrupt acceleration correlates signifi-cantly with the habitual physical activity levels, especially sports activities in elderly females.