title: Effect of acute fatigue of the hip abductors on control of balance in young and older women.
abstract: 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.
authors: Krannert School of Physical Therapy, University of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN 46227, USA. bellewj@uindy.edu
authors: James W
authors: JW
authors: Bellew
authors: Beth L
authors: BL
authors: Panwitz
authors: Laura
authors: L
authors: Peterson
authors: Mary C
authors: MC
authors: Brock
authors: Katie E
authors: KE
authors: Olson
authors: William H
authors: WH
authors: Staples
mesh_terms: 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