Abstract
Background: In line with health promotion plans, early
intervention and fall prevention in
geriatric population, it is important to study healthy
individuals balance mechanisms. The aim
of this research was to investigate the effect of adding and
removing visual input and dual task
on elderly balance.
Methods: Twenty healthy elderly recruited from four
different senior citizen health club centers
and from the University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation
Sciences (USWR) participated
in this analytic cross-sectional study. At USWR’s Motor
Control Laboratory, the participants’
postural sway were assessed using force plate in 4 distinct
double leg standing conditions with
and without presence of visual input and Stroop dual task.
Postural and Stroop variables were
compared.
Results: Findings indicated that when the elderly
encountered with either dual task or absence
of visual input, they can still manage the situation in a
way that changes in sway parameter
would not become significant. But, when these two conditions
occurred simultaneously, the
participant’s balance strategy fluctuated. Therefore, the
mean velocity showed a significant
difference between the “single quiet standing” condition and
the condition of standing with
eyes closed while the participants were answering Stroop
dual task (Mean difference = -0.007,
95% CI = -0.012, -0.002).
Conclusion: It appears that velocity parameter is sensitive
to small changes, so it is recommended
that researchers include this parameter in their future
analyses. Balance in elderly can be
manipulated by dual task and visual input deprivation.