The effects of diabetes and/or peripheral neuropathy in detecting short postural perturbations in mature adults.
BACKGROUND
This study explored the effects of diabetes mellitus (DM) and peripheral neuropathy (PN) on the ability to detect near-threshold postural perturbations.


METHODS
83 subjects participated; 32 with type II DM (25 with PN and 7 without PN), 19 with PN without DM, and 32 without DM or PN. Peak acceleration thresholds for detecting anterior platform translations of 1 mm, 4 mm, and 16 mm displacements were determined. A 2(DM) × 2(PN) factorial MANCOVA with weight as a covariate was calculated to compare acceleration detection thresholds among subjects who had DM or did not and who had PN or did not.


RESULTS
There was a main effect for DM but not for PN. Post hoc analysis revealed that subjects with DM required higher accelerations to detect a 1 mm and 4 mm displacement.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that PN may not be the only cause of impaired balance in people with DM. Clinicians should be aware that diabetes itself might negatively impact the postural control system.
Fulk
George D
GD
Department of Physical Therapy, Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY, USA. gfulk@clarkson.edu
Robinson
Charles J
CJ
Mondal
Sumona
S
Storey
Christopher M
CM
Hollister
Anne M
AM
D000054:Acceleration; D000368:Aged; D000465:Algorithms; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010812:Physical Stimulation; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology*; D011601:Psychophysics; D012677:Sensation / Q000502:physiology; D012684:Sensory Thresholds / Q000502:physiology