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Iara Paula Machado Santos Buzutti, Claudione Leite Abreu Bomfim, Beatriz Guimarães Ribeiro, Hugo Pasini, Rafael Vital Costa, Afonso Shiguemi Inoue Salgado, Jose Geraldo da Silva Morelli, Luciana Maria Malosa Sampaio, Claudia Santos Oliveira
Med Sci Tech 2012; 53(1): RA1-5
ID: 883043
Background: he elderly population is constantly growing and postural sway balance changes with increasing age. This study aimed to analyze the static balance of elderly people with different levels of physical activity.
Material/Methods: his study was conducted at the Reference Center for the Elderly (Centro de Referência do Idoso – CRI) in the Mandaqui Hospital Complex, São Paulo, SP, Brasil. The sample consisted of 70 healthy elderly subjects who were divided into 3 groups according to classification using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ): a sedentary group (SG), an active group (AG) and a very active group (VAG). The average age was 69.44±6.43. To collect data we used a Fusyo brand pressure platform and prior to testing patients responded to the IPAQ to characterize the levels of physical activity (PA).
Results: The elderly from the VAG showed higher AP, ML and area body sway compared with both the AG and the SG, with eyes open and eyes closed, with significance set as P<0.05.
Conclusions: This study allows the analysis of a larger displacement of the center of pressure (COP) in the antero-posterior and medial-lateral directions in very active elderly, showing greater sway with higher level of physical activity.
Keywords: Physical activity, elderly, Balance, IPAQ