The Decay of Regularity in Postural Control with Aging

Increased postural sway in the elderly has been viewed as a degradation of the postural control system that may be related to an increased risk of falls in the elderly [1]. This study demonstrated the degradation of postural control with aging by quantifying the changes seen in the temporal structure as well as the magnitude of movement of the center of pressure during quiet stance. The analysis of the temporal structure of the center of pressure demonstrated that less of the previous postural position was used to determine the current postural control strategy in elderly subjects. This may explain why elderly subjects demonstrated increased center of pressure movement even though they made more postural adjustments than the younger subjects. Such an analysis approach may be beneficial for future studies investigating the relationship between postural control and fall risk in the elderly.