title: [Influence of gender on the sensory organisation test and the limits of stability in healthy subjects].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The sensory organization test and the limits of stability are the gold standard for dynamic posturography. It is postulated that these measurements vary depending on age, activity of the subject and musculoskeletal system, emotional condition or other factors. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of gender on the above-mentioned analyses.
  
  
  METHODS
  70 healthy subjects (35 males and 35 females); mean age: 44.9 years. A clinical history was taken and a physical and otoneurological exploration was performed for each subject, along with a posturography study using the Neurocom SMART Balance Master platform model. The statistical study was carried out with the ANOVA test (p<0.05).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Condition 5 presented the lowest percentage of balance in both sexes (64.36%). The highest percentage of balance in males was in Condition 1 (p<0.001) and the lowest in 3 (p=0.030). There were no differences in the sensory analysis. The lowest employment of ankle strategy was in Condition 5 for both sexes (88.61%); women used the ankle strategy in Condition 4 more efficiently (p=0.0129). There were also differences in the time of reaction towards the right (p=0.022) and the mean (p=0.011) (higher in females), and in the speed of movement backwards (p=0.001) and towards the right (p=0.04) (higher in males). In path length and directional control, there were no differences.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Gender differences should be taken into consideration for vestibular rehabilitation. Greater speed in conducting the tests does not lead to better balance control.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Otorrinolaringología, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, España. anafaraldo@gmail.com
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Faraldo-García
authors.forename: Sofía
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Santos-Pérez
authors.forename: Torcuato
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Labella-Caballero
authors.forename: Andrés
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Soto-Varela
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D004856:Postural Balance; D012677:Sensation / Q000502:physiology*; D012737:Sex Factors