At an advanced age, alterations in postural control are common however there is lack information related to high-functioning older adults. This study aimed to compare postural control in a bipedal stance in healthy, high-functioning older adults after 5 years. Twenty-three older adults aged 65.7 ± 4.0 years were evaluated at baseline and after 5 years using the Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC), the Tinetti balance assessment tool (TBAT) and posturography. Postural control in the bipedal stance was assessed for 30 s using two force platforms in firm surface with eyes open (EO) and closed (EC), and similarly in foam surface (FEO; FEC). During the 5-year follow-up, the ABC score significantly increased (P = 0.030), suggesting higher confidence in maintaining balance. The mean center-of-pressure velocity increased in both mediolateral (ML) and anteroposterior (AP) directions in the EO (P < 0.05) and FEO (P < 0.001). There were some significant changes in entropy measures for various procedures and directions. All these significant changes increased during five years period. Our results suggest that in high-functioning older adults the process of represents rather the adaptation, not an inevitable journey to “frailty” and the human body systems organize solutions with different levels of complexity.
Nohelová et al. (Fri,) studied this question.