Effects of aging on the functional balance in healthy subjects

Abstract

Introduction: The health status and underlying risk factors for prevention and treatment of diseases in the elderly are a prominent issue in public health. Objective: To compare the effects of aging on functional balance of healthy subjects in three age groups. Methods: By means of the Timed Up and Go Test (TUGT) and Berg Balance Scale (BBS), we analyzed the functional balance of 71 subjects divided into three groups: young group (YG), middle age group (MAG) and elderly group (EG). We performed a one-way Anova followed by post hoc Tukey, considering an α of 5%. Results: In the TUGT there is significant difference between GJ x GMI (P<0.05), GJ x GI (P<0.01) and GMI x GI (P<0.01), and in BBS between GJ x GI (P<0.01) and GMI x GI (P<0.05), and between genders (P<0.05). Conclusion: The functional balance decreased with aging, especially from the third decade of life.