Body support effect on standing balance in the visually impaired elderly.

Abstract

To evaluate the effectiveness of body support in compensating for decreased standing balance stability in elderly persons with visual impairment. Standing balance was measured in a cross-section of elderly persons from two nursing homes--one for aged individuals with visual impairment, the other for aged individuals without visual impairment. The subjects were 44 visually impaired persons with a mean age of 79.0 yrs and 39 people without visual impairment, mean age 76.3 yrs. The area of gravity-center sway was measured with subjects standing on a gravicorder for 30sec in three positions: (1) without support, (2) with cane, (3) with light support by touching a wall. Both men and women in the visually impaired group swayed more than their sighted counterparts when standing without support, the only statistically significant difference between the two groups. For all subjects, the greatest degree of sway occurred when subjects stood unsupported, and the least sway occurred when subjects touched a wall for support. In visually impaired elderly persons, touching a wall for body support while standing is more effective than using a cane.