title: Association of bone mineral density with postural stability and the fear of falling in Spanish postmenopausal women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of our study was to investigate the relationship between bone mineral density (BMD) and postural stability and the fear of falling in a 50- to 65-year-old postmenopausal population.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional, observational study was conducted on 118 postmenopausal women. According to their BMD values, participants were divided into two groups: BMD>-2.0SD (n=95) and ≤-2.0SD (n=23).
  
  
  METHODS
  Postural stability, assessed with a resistive multi-sensor platform, fear of falling (FoF) and the history of falls in the last 12 months were investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Women with BMD≤-2.0SD reported a significantly increased FoF when compared to women with BMD>-2.0SD (P=0.024, η(2)=0.045, 1-β=0.624). In the postural stability analysis, the group with BMD≤-2.0SD showed, under the eyes-open condition, statistically significantly higher values for the velocity (VEO) (P=0.040, η(2)=0.037, 1-β=0.539) and the anteroposterior mean displacement of the center of pressure (YEO; P=0.017, η(2)=0.049, 1-β=0.669). No significant differences between groups were observed in the history of falls or in the rest of the stabilometric analyses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In Spanish postmenopausal women under 65 years, a BMD≤-2.0SD is significantly associated with postural instability (elevated VEO and XEO) and an increased FoF, which are two highly influential factors in the risk of falling.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Jaén, E-23071 Jaén, Spain; Institute of Biopathology and Regenerative Medicine (IBIMER), Department of Human Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain. Electronic address: fhita@ujaen.es.
authors.forename: Fidel
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hita-Contreras
authors.affiliation: Department of Music, Plastical Expression and Body Language, University of Jaén, E-23071 Jaén, Spain. Electronic address: emilioml@ujaen.es.
authors.forename: Emilio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Martínez-López
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Jaén, E-23071 Jaén, Spain. Electronic address: pjgonzalezmatarin@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: González-Matarín
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain. Electronic address: NICOMENDOZA@telefonica.net.
authors.forename: Nicolás
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mendoza
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Jaén, E-23071 Jaén, Spain. Electronic address: dcruz@ujaen.es.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cruz-Díaz
authors.affiliation: Department of Music, Plastical Expression and Body Language, University of Jaén, E-23071 Jaén, Spain. Electronic address: alberto_ruyz@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ruiz-Ariza
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Jaén, E-23071 Jaén, Spain; Institute of Biopathology and Regenerative Medicine (IBIMER), Department of Human Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain. Electronic address: amamat@ujaen.es.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martínez-Amat
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000058:Accidental Falls; D000368:Aged; D015519:Bone Density; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause; D004856:Postural Balance; D013030:Spain
keywords: Bone mineral density; Fall risk; Fear of falling; Postural stability