balance

Question 1

what is balance?

Answer 1

• ability to maintain line/ centre of gravity within base of support

Question 2

what is the global elderly population like and why?

Answer 2

• high global population due to declined fertility rates and increased length of life

Question 3

what does ageing include?

Answer 3

• chain of adverse physiological events

Question 4

what are the ultimate physiology events due to ageing?

Answer 4

• functional deterioration
• mobility disability

Question 5

what is sarcopenia? what is it characterised by?

Answer 5

• generalised skeletal muscle disorder
• characterised by reduced muscle mass and strength

Question 6

what is sarcopenia associated with? what effects does it have?

Answer 6

• associated with range of negative health outcomes
• increased risk for falls
• display reduced cardiorespiratory fitness

Question 7

what are the three significant contributors of sarcopenia?

Answer 7

• chronic diseases
• reduced cognition
• psychological factors

Question 8

what can be targeted relating to risk factors? how would you do this?

Answer 8

• modifiable risk factors can be targeted through intervention
• via physical activity and nutrition

Question 9

what is frailty?

Answer 9

• reduced physiologic reserve vulnerable to external stressors

Question 10

what is the fall incidence in frail adults?

Answer 10

• between 6.7 to 44%

Question 11

what is frailty induced falls associated with?

Answer 11

• increased risk of fractures, hospitalisation and institutionalisation
  ^ severity of frailty= ^ risk of future falls

Question 12

what is the frailty assessment described as? what does it explore?

Answer 12

• comprehensive geriatric assessment
• explores multiple domains effectively

Question 13

what are examples of frailty assessments?

Answer 13

• Fried phenotype
• clinical frailty scale

Question 14

where are frailty assessments used? what would be ideal?

Answer 14

• used in different sections e.g., clinical, community
• ideal to consider follow- up assessment

Question 15

what are the three dimensions of frailty?

Answer 15

• time
• disease
• disuse

Question 16

what does hyper- acute frailty syndromes display as? (5)

Answer 16

• immobility
• falls
• delirium
• fluctuating disability
• incontinence

Question 17

what is postural control?

Answer 17

• maintain static posture in various positions
• achieve voluntary movement between postures

Question 18

describe where the gravity line is in postural control

Answer 18

• line of gravity falls within the base of support

Question 19

what do you restore via postural control and how?

Answer 19

• restore posture by reacting to external forces

Question 20

what is postural stability?

Answer 20

• adjust posture in response to voluntary movement

Question 21

what is an equilibrium?

Answer 21

• react to external stresses/ disturbances to maintain posture

Question 22

what are the three balance systems?

Answer 22

• somatosensory/ proprioceptive system
• vestibular system
• visual system

Question 23

what is the somatosensory/ proprioceptive system? what awareness does it involve?

Answer 23

• major contributor for postural control in static and dynamic conditions
• awareness of body in space

Question 24

what does somatosensory/ proprioceptive system enable? what does it influence?

Answer 24

• enables stability and orientation during static and dynamic activities
• influences motor learning and re- education

Question 25

what does vestibular system orientate in? what does it co- ordinate?

Answer 25

- orientates in 3- dimensional space - co- ordinates motor response, eye movement and posture

Question 26

what does the vestibular system modify? what does it detect?

Answer 26

- modifies muscle tone and balance - detects motion of head and postural control during head movement

Question 27

what is the visual system? what does it involve?

Answer 27

- integrated visual cues for CoM stability - includes visual fields, visual environment, support surface

Question 28

what does visual system allow a human to do? what does it include?

Answer 28

- allows balancing in upright stance to be more stable with eyes open - size of base of support, rigidity or compliance

Question 29

what system does postural control require?

Answer 29

- interactions between multiple systems - any system can dominate - combined feedback from each system is integrated