Influence of the strength of the ankle plantar flexors on dynamic balance in 55-65-year-old women
Keywords:
Triceps surae, Coordination, Falls risk, Older adultsAbstract
Objectives: The loss of strength of the plantar flexors of the ankle associated with aging may limit the performance of balance in the functional activities of daily life in older adults. The deficit of strength of this musculature and an inadequate dynamic balance have been correlated with an increased risk of falls in older adults. Therefore, the main objective of the present study is to analyse the association between the strength of the plantar flexors and the dynamic balance in older women.
Methods: A total of 79 older women, between the ages of 55 and 65, participated in the present study. Subjects participated in a systematic program of physical exercise in a private fitness center of the Region of Murcia during the year 2019. A cross-sectional correlational study was designed to correlate the dynamic balance, assessed with the Y-balance Test (YB) and the Timed Up and Go Test (TUG), with the strength of the ankle plantar flexors, assessed with the Calf-raise test (CR). A Wilcoxon test was carried out to evaluate the differences between the values of the dominant and non-dominant sides in the balance test Y-Balance test. A Spearman correlation analysis was applied to observe if the strength of the plantar flexors of the ankle was associated with the two tests of dynamic balance.
Findings: A significant "small" correlation between the strength of the plantar flexors of the ankle and the postero-lateral dynamic balance "Y-Balance" (p = 0.023, r = 0.256) was found in the subjects of the present study.
Conclusions: The main finding of the present study was that 55-65-year-old women need to train the strength of the plantar flexors of the ankle to improve the unipodal dynamic balance and minimize the possible risk of falling.
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