Unipodal Support Research Articles

Estabilometría y acupuntura en universitarios según estudio longitudinal controlado y enmascarado

ObjectiveTo assess unipodal balance in healthy population after acupuncture application in BL 57, versus auriculotherapy. DesignA longitudinal controlled and blinded trial, approved by the Bioethics Commission of the Extremadura University (registration number: 33/2012). AllocationExtremadura University School of Medicine. ParticipantsInclusion criteria: university students from 18 to 25 years of age, after having signed an informed consent form. Exclusion criteria: contraindication for acupuncture application, disease, federated athletes. Forty cases were included. InterventionsFifteen sessions of auricular pressure (Vaccaria seeds in Shenmen, Master Oscillation and Thalamus points). Three acupuncture sessions separated by a 15 days break, at the unilateral BL 57 point: laser puncture (10Hz), transcutaneous needle stimulation retained 20min, indirect moxibustion (Arthemis). MeasurementsVariables: sex, age and stabilometry (unipodal support test) using a pressure platform system with optical sensors. Participants were unaware of the purpose of the technique used, and if it was true or sham acupuncture. Records of stabilometric values were taken at time zero and 20min without intervention, before the use of seeds and after removal, before and after 20min of each acupuncture session. ResultsThe results were analyzed using the SPSS program (version 15.0). Average age: 20 years. There were no significant differences by sex. There were no significant changes from control in any of the treatments used, neither in 20min nor in 15 days.

Análise do desempenho motor associado ao estado nutricional de idosos cadastrados no Programa Saúde da Família, no município de Vitória de Santo Antão-PE

The scope of this paper was to investigate the relationship between the nutritional status and the motor skills of the elderly registered in the Family Health Program in the urban area of Vitória de Santo Antão in the State of Pernambuco, by means of a transversal epistemological descriptive-analytical field study. The participants of this survey were 235 elders, both male and female of 60-years-old and over registered in the family health program in the urban area of the city. The nutritional status was evaluated by the body mass index and the circumference of the calf. Four motor tests were used to evaluate motor performance: Time Up&Go, Tinetti's Index, Functional Reach and Unipodal Support. The associations were checked using Spearman's correlation. The association of the nutritional status with the motor tests was statistically significant among males* or females**: (Time Up&Go rho = 0.290* / 350**; Functional Reach rho = 0.232* / 352**; Tinetti's Index rho = 243* / 363** and Unipodal Support rho = 221* / 475**. The evaluation of the results revealed an association between nutritional status and functional capacity of the elders no matter what gender; with obesity being a limiting nutritional condition to adequate performance in the tests.

Estudo da presença de fatores de riscos intrínsecos para quedas, em idosos institucionalizados

The objective of this research was to identify intrinsic risk factors that predispose elderly people living in long-term institutions in the city of Goiânia (GO) to falls. The present descriptive transversal study was carried out in six long-term institutions for seniors in the city of Goiânia. The investigated sample consisted of 95 elderly that fitted the inclusion and exclusion criteria. A questionnaire was used for collecting clinical data related to health-disease conditions; cognitive data; capacity to develop basic daily life activities and equilibrium and gait. In general terms, as pointed out the literature, the examined elderly presented different fall risk factors such as: motor difficulty in lower limbs (90%), visual deficit (81,1%), use of 3 or more kinds of medicines (59,7%), suspected depression (37,9%), lack of equilibrium/unstable unipodal support (37,9%) abnormally decreased height in step (32,6%). The obtained data allow us to set indicators for the increase in falls among the studied sample, demonstrating the need for creating strategies for health promotion, prevention of injuries and rehabilitation.

Efeitos do Tai Chi Chuan na força dos músculos extensores dos joelhos e no equilíbrio em idosas

BACKGROUND: Some studies have indicated that Tai Chi Chuan (TCC) is capable of improving physical fitness, muscle strength and balance in elderly people. This improvement could prevent falls, fractures and physical dependence. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of TCC on balance and knee extensor muscle strength among elderly women. METHODS: Seventy-seven healthy women who were not engaged in any guided physical activity participated in this study. There were 38 volunteers (68 ± 5 years) in the Experimental Group and 39 volunteers (69 ± 7 years) in the Control Group. The Experimental Group practiced 24-movement Yang-style TCC for 12 weeks, consisting of 50-minute sessions three times per week. The Control Group did not perform any guided physical activities. Strength was measured using the one maximum repetition test in an extensor chair and balance was evaluated using the unipodal support test with the eyes closed. The statistical analysis consisted of the normality test, split-plot analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Pearson’s correlation coefficient. RESULTS: The Experimental Group presented increases of 17.83% in knee extensor muscle strength and 26.10% in balance. The Control Group did not show any significant changes in these variables. No significant correlation was observed between these two variables in the Experimental (r= 0.09; p= 0.554) or in the Control Groups (r= 0.07; p= 0.660). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that TCC improves knee extensor muscle strength and balance among elderly women. However, knee extensor muscle strength was not necessarily linked to balance in this activity.

CORRELATION BETWEEN BODY MASS INDEX AND POSTURAL BALANCE

To evaluate the correlation between body mass index (BMI) and postural balance in unipodal support. 40 males, age 26 +/- 5 yrs, body mass 72.3 +/- 11 kg, height 176 +/_ 6 cm and BMI 23.3 +/- 3.2 kg/m(2), were submitted to functional stability tests using the Biodex Balance System (stability evaluation protocol level 2, which allows an inclination of up to 20 degrees in the horizontal plane in all directions) to compare stability with BMI. The general stability index showed a correlation between BMI and postural balance--measured as imbalance (R=0.723-dominant side and R=0.705-non-dominant side). The anteroposterior stability index--measured as instability--showed correlations on the dominant (R=0.708) and non-dominant side (R=0.656). Lateral instability showed a correlation on the dominant side (R=0.721) and non-dominant side (R=0.728). The comparison of the balance indexes for dominant and non-dominant sides showed no statistically significant differences. High BMI demands more displacements to maintain postural balance.