노인의 균형유지 능력에 영향을 미치는 요인

Abstract

The purposes of this study were to ascertain differences of the sensory system,central processing system, effector system, and balance ability according to generalcharacteristics (sex, fall experience, and age), and to identify the contributions of thesensory, central processing, and effector system to balance ability in 83 healthy elderlysubjects. The subjects were elderly (over 60 years) who live in Wonju City. All subjectsparticipated in six tests (position sense test, visual acuity, vestibular stepping test,Mini-Mental Status Exam-Korea, strength of dorsiflexors, and Berg Balance Test). Collected data were analyzed by the independent t-test, one• way ANOV A, and stepwisemultiple regression. The results were as follows: 1. The results of the six testsaccording to sex showed that vestibular function was significantly better in women thanin men. But visual acuity, cognitive function, strength of dorsiflexors, and balance abilitywere significantly better in men than in women (p<0.05). 2. There were no significantdifferences in position sense, visual acuity, vestibular function, cognitive function,strength of dorsiflexors, and balance ability between fallers and non-fallers (p>0.05). 3. However, the results of the six tests according to age (group A: 60-69 years, group B:70-79 years, group C: 80-89 years) showed significant differences in fìve tests. In theScheffé test, position sense, visual acuity, and cognitive function showed significantlydifferent results between in group A and group C: the strength of the dorsiflexors wassignificantly different between in group A and group B, and balance ability wassignificantly different between in group A and group C, and between in group B andgroup C (p<0.05). 4. Cognitive function and position sense were positively associatedwith balance ability. Their power of explanation regarding balance ability was 38%(p<0.05). These results suggest that cognitive function and position sense play an important role in balance ability. This would seem to suggest that programs for evaluation orimprovement of elderly' s balance ability in the elderly should consider cognitive functionand position sense.