title: Variability of centre of pressure movement during gait in young and middle-aged women.
abstract: The variability of the centre of pressure (COP) movement is a tool that is often used for stability assessments during standing; however, this variable can provide relevant findings during dynamic conditions, which are more related to fall risks. The aim of this study was to investigate age-related differences in the variability of COP movement. Healthy young (younger group - 25 subjects, age 22.2 ± 1.8 years) and middle-aged (elder group - 25 subjects, age 56.6 ± 4.9 years) females participated in this study. The ground reaction forces and COP movement during walking at a self-selected speed were recorded using two force platforms. Each stance phase was divided into four subphases: loading response (LR), mid-stance (MSt), terminal stance (TSt) and preswing (PS). Standard deviations of the medial-lateral, anterior-posterior and total COP displacements were assessed. For statistical comparisons, one-way ANOVA and the Bonferroni post-hoc test were used. These results showed significantly higher COP movement variability in selected variables in the PS, LR and MSt subphases in the elder group (p < 0.05) compared with the younger group; no differences were found in the TSt subphase. A comparison of the subphases within the groups revealed significant differences (p < 0.001 for all cases and both groups) between the parameters in the LR × MSt, LR × TSt, MSt × PS and TSt×PS subphases. The LR and PS subphases showed significantly higher values for the variability parameters.
authors: Department of Natural Sciences in Kinanthropology, Faculty of Physical Culture, Palacky University Olomouc, Trida Miru 115, 771 11, Olomouc, Czech Republic; Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Science, Palacky University Olomouc, 17. listopadu 12, 771 46 Olomouc, Czech Republic. Electronic address: lucia.bizovska@gmail.com.
authors: Lucia
authors: L
authors: Bizovska
authors: Department of Natural Sciences in Kinanthropology, Faculty of Physical Culture, Palacky University Olomouc, Trida Miru 115, 771 11, Olomouc, Czech Republic.
authors: Zdenek
authors: Z
authors: Svoboda
authors: Department of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Nam. Sitna 3105, 272 01 Kladno, Czech Republic.
authors: Patrik
authors: P
authors: Kutilek
authors: Department of Natural Sciences in Kinanthropology, Faculty of Physical Culture, Palacky University Olomouc, Trida Miru 115, 771 11, Olomouc, Czech Republic.
authors: Miroslav
authors: M
authors: Janura
authors: Department of Natural Sciences in Kinanthropology, Faculty of Physical Culture, Palacky University Olomouc, Trida Miru 115, 771 11, Olomouc, Czech Republic.
authors: Ales
authors: A
authors: Gaba
authors: Department of Natural Sciences in Kinanthropology, Faculty of Physical Culture, Palacky University Olomouc, Trida Miru 115, 771 11, Olomouc, Czech Republic.
authors: Zuzana
authors: Z
authors: Kovacikova
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D011312:Pressure; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology
keywords: Fall risk; Ground reaction force; Stance phase; Walking