Effect of acute fatigue of the hip abductors on control of balance in young and older women.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the effects of acute fatigue of the hip abductors on the control of balance in young and older women.


METHODS
Pretest-posttest.


METHODS
University research laboratory.


METHODS
Healthy young women (n=20; age, 23.0+/-1.5y; height, 166.52+/-4.5 cm; mass, 65.33+/-10.5 kg) and community-dwelling older women (n=20; age, 71.65+/-7.2y; height, 162.31+/-3.8 cm; mass, 71.16+/-11.6 kg) without a fall history.


METHODS
Measurements of control of single-limb balance before and after fatiguing the hip abductors of the dominant leg.


METHODS
Performance on 3 clinical assessments of control of balance: the modified Functional Reach Test in the forward, left, and right directions; the Lower-Extremity Reach Test in forward and lateral directions; and the Single-Limb Stance Time Test (SLSTT).


RESULTS
Although the younger subjects showed a significantly greater control of balance than the older women in most tests, control of balance after acute fatigue failed to show a significant decline in either age group. The only exception to this was the SLSTT in the younger women in whom a significant 26% decline was noted (P<.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Acute fatigue of the hip abductors did not result in a decreased control of balance in healthy young or older women without fall history. Despite considerable changes in movement strategies used to complete the postfatigue tests of balance, quantitative measures of balance did not decrease.
Bellew
James W
JW
Krannert School of Physical Therapy, University of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN 46227, USA. bellewj@uindy.edu
Panwitz
Beth L
BL
Peterson
Laura
L
Brock
Mary C
MC
Olson
Katie E
KE
Staples
William H
WH
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D005221:Fatigue / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006615:Hip; D006801:Humans; D015588:Observer Variation; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular