title: Standing on textured surfaces: effects on standing balance in healthy older adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  standing on textured surfaces or wearing textured shoe insoles can alter balance performance. This evidence, although inconclusive, offers a potential intervention for improving balance in older adults. This study explored the effect of standing on textured surfaces on double-limb balance in older adults and changes in muscle activity as a possible mechanism of effect.
  
  
  METHODS
  50 healthy older adults (29 female, age mean [1SD] 75.1 [5.0]) stood quietly in six conditions-eyes open and closed on two different textured surfaces and a smooth surface control. Mediolateral sway, anterior-posterior sway and centre of pressure velocity were extracted from a force platform and lower limb muscle activity collected using surface electromyography (EMG) over 30 s.
  
  
  RESULTS
  for mediolateral range with eyes closed, there was a statistically significant effect of texture (F [2, 47] = 3.840, P = 0.033). This was attributed to a 9.2% decrease with Texture 1 compared with Control. No such effects were seen in any other balance variable or lower limb EMG activity for either visual condition.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  the results suggest an effect of standing on textured surfaces on mediolateral sway in older adults, supporting further work to develop the therapeutic benefits of textured surfaces as an intervention to improve balance.
authors: Centre for Health, Sport and Rehabilitation Sciences Research, University of Salford, Manchester, UK. a.l.hatton@salford.ac.uk
authors: Anna Lucy
authors: AL
authors: Hatton
authors: John
authors: J
authors: Dixon
authors: Keith
authors: K
authors: Rome
authors: Denis
authors: D
authors: Martin
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology*