Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Volume 87, Issue 11 , Pages 1486-1489, November 2006

Control of Balance Differs After Knee or Ankle Fatigue in Older Women

Program in Physical Therapy, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA.

Abstract 

Bellew JW, Fenter PC. Control of balance differs after knee or ankle fatigue in older women.

Objective

To examine the effects of acute isokinetic knee or ankle fatigue on control of static and dynamic balance in older women.

Design

Pretest and posttest.

Setting

University research laboratory.

Participants

Eighteen healthy, community-dwelling older women (age, 77±6y) with no history of falling.

Interventions

Measurements of static and dynamic balance control before and after isokinetically fatiguing the ankle plantar- and dorsiflexors or knee extensors and flexors in separate sessions.

Main Outcome Measures

Performance on 3 clinical assessments of control of balance: modified Functional Reach Test (mFRT), Lower-Extremity Reach Test (LERT), and Single-Limb Stance Time Test (SLSTT).

Results

Balance declined in the mFRT after fatigue to each joint, with no significant difference in the magnitude of change between joints. Control of balance during the LERT decreased significantly only after knee fatigue, and control of balance during the SLSTT was significantly reduced only after ankle fatigue.

Conclusions

Balance performance after acute isokinetic muscular fatigue to the knee or ankle is specific to the muscle groups fatigued and the balance tests used.

Key Words: Aging, Balance, Fatigue, Rehabilitation

 

 Supported by the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center (intramural small grants program).No commercial party having a direct financial interest in the results of the research supporting this article has or will confer a benefit upon the author(s) or upon any organization with which the author(s) is/are associated.

PII: S0003-9993(06)00976-2

doi:10.1016/j.apmr.2006.08.020

Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Volume 87, Issue 11 , Pages 1486-1489, November 2006