Equilibrium and balance in the elderly.

Complaints of dizziness and disequilibrium increase with age. Sixty-five percent of individuals older than 60 years of age experience dizziness or loss of balance, often on a daily basis. Some degree of imbalance is present in all individuals older than 60. This is the result of a generalized functional degradation. Initially, the imbalance is situational and manifests when the righting reflexes cannot meet the demands of a challenging environment, such as a slippery surface. As the functional degradation progresses, the imbalance occurs during everyday activities, independent ambulation becomes difficult, and the likelihood of falls increases. When instability is constant, the individual resorts to the use of a cane, a walker, or a wheelchair.