AIM Osteoporosis can cause vertebral fractures, which might lead to a flexed posture, impaired postural control and consequently increased fall risk. Therefore, the aim of the present review was to examine whether postural control of patients with osteoporosis, vertebral fractures, thoracic kyphosis and flexed posture is affected. Furthermore, instruments measuring postural control were evaluat...

INTRODUCTION Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is characterized by early postural instability and backward falls. The mechanisms underlying backward postural instability in PSP are not understood. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that postural instability in PSP is a result of dysfunction in the perception of postural verticality. METHODS We gathered posturography data on 1...

Background: Dizziness is a non-specific term used by patients to describe a variety of symptoms. The terms dizziness, vertigo, faintness, and blackouts are not synonymous but are often used interchangeably by patients. Postural blackout is a subtype of dizziness and is a result of postural hypotension, a feature of autonomic dysfunction. Case reports: We present detailed case histories of two p...

Previous studies have shown significant effects of increased postural anxiety in healthy young individuals when standing quietly or performing voluntary postural tasks. However, little is known about the influence of anxiety on reactive postural control. The present study examined how increased postural anxiety influenced postural reactions to unexpected surface rotations in multiple directions...

This study tests the hypothesis that increased arterial stiffness is associated with postural hypotension in older adults. Aortic pulse wave velocity and postural blood pressure (BP) response were assessed in 49 nondiabetic community-dwelling normotensive (n=27) and hypertensive (n=22) older adults (mean age+/-SD, 71+/-6.7 years) who were not receiving vasoactive medications. During the 5-minut...

Postural stability is an important measure in both research and clinical practice. A portable, easy to use device that can provide higher resolution than current clinical tests may allow for better identification of patients or athletes with postural stability deficits. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of a tri-axial accelerometer to quantify postural stability in a healthy...

OBJECTIVES This study examined the postural performance of two groups of male skiers competing at different levels and the consequences on postural control of the suppression of visual afferences by eye closure. METHODS Seven national level (NAT) skiers and 7 regional level (REG) skiers were asked to stand as still as possible on a force platform with eyes opened and closed and while wearing ...

OBJECTIVE This review details the anatomy and interactions of the postural and somatosensory reflexes. We attempt to identify the important role the nervous system plays in maintaining reflex control of the spine and posture. We also review, illustrate, and discuss how the human vertebral column develops, functions, and adapts to Earth's gravity in an upright position. We identify functional ch...

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which measures of lower extremity strength and power contribute to the ability of older men and women to restore postural equilibrium using a single-step recovery following a large postural disturbance. METHODS The postural disturbance, which has been used as a surrogate for forward-directed falls, involved a sudden release f...