Normal values of balance tests in women aged 20-80.
OBJECTIVE
To determine normal values for four commonly used clinical functional balance tests from community-dwelling women aged 20 to 80 and to identify any significant decline due to aging.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study was undertaken to provide normative values for four clinical balance tests across 6 decade cohorts.


METHODS
The Betty Byrne-Henderson Center for Women and Aging, Royal Womens' Hospital, Brisbane, Australia.


METHODS
Four hundred fifty-six community-dwelling, independently ambulant women with no obvious neurological or musculoskeletal-related disability, aged 20 to 80, were randomly recruited from a large metropolitan region.


METHODS
The clinical balance measures/tests were the Timed Up and Go test, step test, Functional Reach test, and lateral reach test. Multivariate analysis was used to test the effect for age, height, and activity level.


RESULTS
Normal data were produced for each test across each decade cohort. Gradual decline in balance performance was confirmed, with significant effect for age demonstrated.


CONCLUSIONS
New normative data across the adult age decades are available for these clinical tests. Use of clinical balance tests could complement other balance tests and be used to screen women aged 40 to 60 whose performance is outside the normal values for age and to decrease later falls risk.
Isles
Rosemary C
RC
University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia. Rosemary.Isles@newcastle.edu.au
Choy
Nancy L Low
NL
Steer
Marie
M
Nitz
Jennifer C
JC
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values