Abstract
Obese individuals are characterized by a reduced balance which has a significant effect on a variety of daily and occupational tasks. The presence of excessive adipose tissue and weight gain could increase the risk of falls; for this reason, obese individuals are at greater risk of falls than normal weight subjects in the presence of postural stress and disturbances. The quality of balance control could be measured with different methods and generally in clinics its integrity is generally assessed using platform stabilometry. The aim of this narrative review is to present an overview on the state of art on balance control in obese individuals during quiet stance. A summary of knowledge about static postural control in obese individuals and its limitations is important clinically, as it could give indications and suggestions to improve and personalize the development of specific clinical programs.
Highlights
Postural stability can be explained as the ability of one’s motor control to maintain the standing posture, even during external perturbations
A summary of our current knowledge about static postural control in obese individuals is important from a clinical perspective, as it could allow for the development of clinical programs that are more oriented towards the needs of this population, even avoiding the risk of comorbidity due to falls
Customized queries including keywords and Boolean logic with AND/OR operators were entered in years; with body mass index (BMI) > 25 Kg/m2); studies assessing obese patients with genetic obesity; this form: “(balance OR posture OR stability) AND AND”, with document evaluations performed with force platform
Summary
Postural stability can be explained as the ability of one’s motor control to maintain the standing posture, even during external perturbations. Sensorimotor integration and balance regulation rely on the cerebellum; most of the evidence of the function of the cerebellum in humans comes from patients with cerebellar damage who display balance abnormalities and gait ataxia [5] This multimodal (integrating visual, vestibular, and proprioceptive inputs) and redundant control causes chaotic center of mass (CoM) oscillations known as postural sway [6,7,8]. CoM fluctuations are represented by the center of foot pressure (CoP) displacements [9] and it consists in the measurement of forces exerted against a force platform during quiet stance This method is widely used in clinical settings to evaluate the integrity of the postural control system and to obtain functional markers on fine competencies and their development in different testing conditions Patients with obesity have intrinsically reduced postural stability and balance as compared with their normal-weight counterparts This reduced stability increases linearly with body mass index (BMI). A summary of our current knowledge about static postural control in obese individuals is important from a clinical perspective, as it could allow for the development of clinical programs that are more oriented towards the needs of this population, even avoiding the risk of comorbidity due to falls
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
