Ann Rehabil Med.  2013 Jun;37(3):389-395. 10.5535/arm.2013.37.3.389.

The Relationship Between Muscle Fatigue and Balance in the Elderly

• Nam HS
• Park DS
• Kim DH
• Kang HJ
• Lee DH
• Lee SH
• Her JG
• Woo JH
• Choi SY

• KMID: 2219536
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5535/arm.2013.37.3.389

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of gastrocnemius muscle fatigue on postural control ability in elderly people.
METHODS
Twenty-four healthy elderly people participated in this study. The postural control ability of single leg standing was evaluated with Health Improvement & Management System (HIMS) posturography before and after fatiguing exercises. After evaluating initial postural control ability, the maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) of ankle plantarflexion was assessed using a surface electromyogram from the medial belly of the gastrocnemius muscle. After a 5-minute resting period, subjects began submaximal isometric ankle plantarflexion (40% MVC) until 40% of MVC was dropped below 95% for 5 seconds, or subject couldn't continue working out due to muscle fatigue. And postural control ability was assessed after fatiguing exercise. The mean deviation of center of pressure (COP), length of COP movement, occupied area of COP were measured, and analyzed by paired t-test.
RESULTS
Mediolateral deviation, length of COP movement, and area of COP occupied were increased after fatiguing exercise of the gastrocnemius muscle. Anteroposterior deviation and length of COP movement were also increased, but had low statistical significance.
CONCLUSION
These findings suggest that the gastrocnemius muscle fatigue affects mediolateral stability and accuracy during single leg standing in elderly people. Therefore muscle endurance training is necessary to prevent falls in elderly people.

Keyword

Balance; Posture; Elderly; Fatigue; Ankle

MeSH Terms

Aged
Animals
Ankle
Contracts
Exercise
Fatigue
Humans
Leg
Muscle Fatigue
Muscle, Skeletal
Muscles
Posture

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Postural control ability of single leg standing evaluated with Health Improvement & Management System (HIMS) posturography.

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  Fig. 2 Posture of isometric ankle plantarflexion.

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  Fig. 3 Subjects undertook fatiguing exercises consisting of warm-up exercise (W), maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) with some contractions (C) and rests (R), submaximal isometric contraction, and end of test (E).

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  Fig. 4 Center of pressure (COP) motion was assessed by deviations X and Y, area of COP, and length of COP.

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  Fig. 5 Example of posturography results.

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