The immediate effect of physical activity on standing balance in healthy and balance‐impaired older people

Abstract

To determine if standing balance was affected by moderate levels of physical activity in healthy young, healthy older and balance-impaired older adults. Thirty-one healthy young, 33 healthy older and 22 balance-impaired older adults took part. Centre of pressure (COP) motion was measured before and immediately after participants undertook 14 minutes of self-paced, moderate intensity physical activity. All groups responded in a similar manner. Following the physical activity circuit, mediolateral COP displacement and standard deviation of mediolateral COP position increased by 5% and 17%, respectively. Anteroposterior COP displacement and COP standard deviation, and total COP displacement, did not change. All changes were small compared with the magnitude of the group differences. A small increase in fall risk may exist immediately following physical activity and older people may need to exercise caution following moderate intensity bouts of physical activity to prevent falling.