The immediate effect of physical activity on standing balance in healthy and balance-impaired older people.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if standing balance was affected by moderate levels of physical activity in healthy young, healthy older and balance-impaired older adults.

METHODS: Thirty-one healthy young, 33 healthy older and 22 balance-impaired older adults took part. Centre of pressure (COP) motion was measured before and immediately after participants undertook 14 minutes of self-paced, moderate intensity physical activity.

RESULTS: All groups responded in a similar manner. Following the physical activity circuit, mediolateral COP displacement and standard deviation of mediolateral COP position increased by 5% and 17%, respectively. Anteroposterior COP displacement and COP standard deviation, and total COP displacement, did not change. All changes were small compared with the magnitude of the group differences.

CONCLUSIONS: A small increase in fall risk may exist immediately following physical activity and older people may need to exercise caution following moderate intensity bouts of physical activity to prevent falling.