Percentage of decline in individual proprioceptors in older adults
Author: Kazunori Yamazaki1, Yoshihito Sakai2, Tadashi Ito3,4, Jo Fukuhara5, Yoshifumi Morita5
Affiliation:
1 Department of Information Systems, Faculty of Informatics, Daido University: 10-3 Takiharu-cho, Minami-ku, Nagoya 457-0819, Japan.
2 Department of Orthopedic Surgery, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Japan.
3 Three-Dimensional Motion Analysis Room, Aichi Prefectural Mikawa Aoitori Medical and Rehabilitation Center for Developmental Disabilities, Japan.
4 Department of Integrated Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, Japan.
5 Department of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Japan.
Conference/Journal: J Phys Ther Sci
Date published: 2024 Sep 1
Other:
Volume ID: 36 , Issue ID: 9 , Pages: 492-497 , Special Notes: doi: 10.1589/jpts.36.492. , Word Count: 188
[Purpose] Although standing balance and functions of each proprioceptor decline with age in older adults, data regarding the types and percentages of proprioceptors susceptible to decline are unavailable. In this study, we investigated the rate of decline in each proprioceptor area in older adults and also the effect of aging on the association between postural balance and proprioception. [Participants and Methods] This study performed between November 2012 and July 2022 included both young and older adults. Vibration stimuli were applied to the gastrocnemius and lumbar multifidus muscles at 30-250 Hz to assess the effects of the easily attenuated proprioceptors. The independent t-test showed a decline in proprioception in older adults. A χ2 test was performed to determine proprioceptors that were susceptible to attenuation in older adults. [Results] The results revealed that many older adults had reduced muscle spindles (low and high frequencies) in their lower legs and trunk (low frequency). [Conclusion] Proprioceptive ability is lower in older adults than in younger individuals. Therefore, activation programs to treat the reduced intrinsic receptive responsiveness may be required for rehabilitation of older adults.
Keywords: Older adult; Postural balance; Proprioception.
PMID: 39239420 PMCID: PMC11374179 DOI: 10.1589/jpts.36.492
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