title: Frontal plane hip and ankle sensorimotor function, not age, predicts unipedal stance time.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Changes occur in muscles and nerves with aging. In this study we explore the relationship between unipedal stance time (UST) and frontal plane hip and ankle sensorimotor function in subjects with diabetic neuropathy.
  
  
  METHODS
  UST, quantitative measures of frontal plane ankle proprioceptive thresholds, and ankle and hip motor function were tested in 41 subjects with a spectrum of lower limb sensorimotor function ranging from healthy to moderately severe diabetic neuropathy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Frontal plane hip and ankle sensorimotor function demonstrated significant relationships with UST. Multivariate analysis identified only composite hip strength, ankle proprioceptive threshold, and age to be significant predictors of UST (R(2) = 0.73), explaining 46%, 24%, and 3% of the variance, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Frontal plane hip strength was the single best predictor of UST and appeared to compensate for less precise ankle proprioceptive thresholds. This finding is clinically relevant given the possibility of strengthening the hip, even in patients with significant peripheral neuropathy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiotherapy, University of Applied Sciences of Western Switzerland, Geneva, Switzerland. lara.allet@hesge.ch
authors.forename: Lara
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Allet
authors.forename: Hogene
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ashton-Miller
authors.forename: Trina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: De Mott
authors.forename: James K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Richardson
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000842:Ankle / Q000294:innervation* / Q000502:physiology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006615:Hip / Q000294:innervation* / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053580:Muscle Strength; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D011434:Proprioception / Q000502:physiology; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013997:Time Factors