Deterioration of balance control after limb-saving surgery

Objective: Evaluation of the changes in balance control observed in patient s after limb-saving surgery for malignant tumors of the lower limb. Design: Gase series. Results: In II patients who underwent limb-saving surgery and 10 healthy, a ge-matched controls, displacement of the amplitude of the center of pressur e (ACP) and velocity of the center of pressure (VCP) during normal standing and standing on a balance board were registered. Adding such constraints a s standing with eyes closed and performing a Stroop task made standing more complex. During normal standing and on the balance board, both groups show ed comparable ACP and VCP values. With eyes closed, both patients and contr ols showed a higher amplitude and velocity in the anterior-posterior direct ion. In the patient group, the Stroop task affected the ACP (4.5 +/- 0.8 mm ) compared with normal standing (2.9 +/- 0.4 mm) and VCP (18.6 +/- 3.0 mm/s ec) compared with normal standing (11.9 +/- 1.0 mm/sec). During balance boa rd standing, the authors found a difference in the VCP for both groups whos e eyes were closed and who performed under dual-task conditions (controls, 23.2 +/- 3.3 and 14.9 +/- 2.9 mm/sec; patients, 80.1 +/- 12.9 and 23.6 +/- 3.4 mm/sec). Conclusions: Although the patient group showed impressive upright standing after limb-saving surgery, upright standing become more difficult under hig her visual and cognitive loads. This finding indicates that the level of po stural automatism is not complete in these patients.