Mary Grace Gaerlan 1 , Patricia T Alpert , Chad Cross , Margaret Louis , Susan Kowalski Show Affiliations »
Abstract
PURPOSE: The purpose of the study is to examine what sensory system predominates to maintain balance (e.g., visual, vestibular, and somatosensory) among people in their twenties and thirties. DATA SOURCES: A subset of individuals from a larger descriptive cross-sectional study was assessed. A sample of 194 (males = 28%, females = 72%) young adults in the second and third decades of life had anthropometric measurements (height, weight, waist circumference, hip circumference, and leg length) taken and body mass index and waist-to-hip ratio were calculated. Balance was assessed using the NeuroCom Balance Master machine. RESULTS: There was a significant difference among the three sensory systems for postural balance among the young population, F (2, 576) = 111.741, p < .001. Post hoc Bonferroni tests were maintained at the 0.05 level which showed significance for the visual system compared to vestibular and somatosensory system: visual (M = 93.7, SD = 2.07); vestibular (M = 90.4, SD = 2.74); and somatosensory (M = 90.0, SD = 3.13). Based on the results, the visual system is the predominant sensory system used by young adults to maintained optimal postural balance. SIGNIFICANCE FOR PRACTICE: There is very little known about balance of younger adults. If balance issues are identified early in adult life it is possible to prevent exacerbation of balance decline as one age. If nurse practitioners are aware of what dominant sensory systems for balance young adults use, perhaps strategies to preserve these can avoid falls as they age. ©2012 The Author(s) Journal compilation ©2012 American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.
PURPOSE: The purpose of the study is to examine what sensory system predominates to maintain balance (e.g., visual, vestibular, and somatosensory) among people in their twenties and thirties. DATA SOURCES: A subset of individuals from a larger descriptive cross-sectional study was assessed. A sample of 194 (males = 28%, females = 72%) young adults in the second and third decades of life had anthropometric measurements (height, weight, waist circumference, hip circumference, and leg length) taken and body mass index and waist-to-hip ratio were calculated. Balance was assessed using the NeuroCom Balance Master machine. RESULTS: There was a significant difference among the three sensory systems for postural balance among the young population, F (2, 576) = 111.741, p < .001. Post hoc Bonferroni tests were maintained at the 0.05 level which showed significance for the visual system compared to vestibular and somatosensory system: visual (M = 93.7, SD = 2.07); vestibular (M = 90.4, SD = 2.74); and somatosensory (M = 90.0, SD = 3.13). Based on the results, the visual system is the predominant sensory system used by young adults to maintained optimal postural balance. SIGNIFICANCE FOR PRACTICE: There is very little known about balance of younger adults. If balance issues are identified early in adult life it is possible to prevent exacerbation of balance decline as one age. If nurse practitioners are aware of what dominant sensory systems for balance young adults use, perhaps strategies to preserve these can avoid falls as they age. ©2012 The Author(s) Journal compilation ©2012 American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.
Entities: Species
Mesh： See more »
Year: 2012
PMID： 22672489 DOI： 10.1111/j.1745-7599.2012.00699.x
Source DB: PubMed Journal: J Am Acad Nurse Pract ISSN： 1041-2972