PROSPECTIVE-STUDY OF POSTUROGRAPHY IN NORMAL OLDER-PEOPLE

OBJECTIVE: To follow posturographic measurements over time in a group of normal older subjects to see if sway increases with aging and if sw ay is greater in those with deteriorating balance and falls. SUBJECTS: Seventy-two community-dwelling older people (age range 79-91 years), who initially had normal neurological evaluations, were followed with three yearly follow-up examinations. MEASUREMENTS: Amplitude and veloc ity of sway on static and dynamic posturography, Tinetti gait and bala nce score, reports of falls. RESULTS: Velocity of sway on dynamic test s increased significantly during the 3 years of follow-up. The percent age increase in sway was about the same in the anterior-posterior and medial-lateral directions and with eyes open and eyes closed. Subjects with low Tinetti scores had higher sway amplitude and velocity, parti cularly on dynamic tests, but no measure of sway was significantly dif ferent in those who reported falls compared with those who did not rep ort falls. CONCLUSIONS: Sway increases in normal subjects over time, a nd sway is greater in older subjects with deteriorating balance compar ed with those with normal balance. Sway was not greater in those who f ell compared with those who did not fall, probably because falls are h ighly dependent on individual behavior.