Sensory disruptions changed standing-balance measurements in older adults
A review found that removing visual input or disturbing body-position feedback affected laboratory balance measures, with inconsistent methods limiting their broader use.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
Older adults' standing balance changed when visual input was removed or information about body position was disturbed. The findings suggest that some force-platform measurements are sensitive to these sensory challenges. They do not establish whether using those measurements to guide care prevents falls, and differences in study methods limit how widely the findings can be applied.
The authors highlight inconsistent methods and reporting. The abstract does not give effect sizes, detailed participant characteristics or enough information to judge which measurements would be clinically useful.
A laboratory test of sensory input
Participants were assessed while standing quietly under altered sensory conditions. The review grouped measurements into positional, dynamic and frequency-related domains, allowing researchers to examine different aspects of balance rather than treating balance as a single score.
Age patterns require careful interpretation
Visual deprivation affected all reported measurement domains in older adults, whereas significant findings in younger adults were limited to positional and dynamic measures. That pattern alone does not prove a statistically tested difference between age groups.
The original publication
Impact of sensory afferences in postural control quantified by force platform in healthy older adults: Systematic review and meta-analysis.
Aflalo J, Truong C, Nicolaï A et al.
Exp Gerontol · 2026
- PubMed ID
- 41314405
- Record checked
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