The effect of age and body mass index on plantar cutaneous sensation in healthy women

Comparisons and Associations between Hip-Joint Position Sense and Glycosylated Hemoglobin in Elderly Subjects with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus-A Cross-Sectional Study

Hip-joint position sense (JPS) accuracy may be impaired in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). An impaired hip JPS can alter postural control and bodily balance. The objectives of this study are to (1) compare the hip JPS between T2DM and asymptomatic and (2) assess the relationship between hip JPS and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbAlc). This comparative cross-sectional study included 117 elderly individuals with T2DM (mean age: 59.82 ± 6.80 y) and 142 who were asymptomatic (mean age: 57.52 ± 6.90 y). The hip JPS was measured using a digital inclinometer. The individuals were repositioned to a target position with their eyes closed, and the magnitudes of matching errors were estimated as reposition errors. The hip JPS was evaluated in the flexion and abduction directions. The magnitude of reposition errors was significantly larger in the T2DM group in the right flexion (p < 0.001), the right abduction (p < 0.001), the left flexion (p < 0.001), and the left abduction (p < 0.001) directions compared to the asymptomatic group. HbA1c values showed a significant positive correlation with JPS in the right-hip flexion (r = 0.43, p < 0.001), the right-hip abduction (r = 0.36, p < 0.001), the left-hip flexion (r = 0.44, p < 0.001), and the left-hip abduction (r = 0.49, p < 0.001) directions. Hip JPS testing may be considered when assessing and formulating treatment strategies for individuals with type 2 diabetes. Future research should focus on how hip JPS can impact balance and falls in individuals with T2DM.

Relation of Physical Activity Level to Postural Balance in Obese and Overweight Spanish Adult Males: A Cross-Sectional Study

The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of physical activity level on postural control in obese and overweight Spanish adult males. Forty-three males aged between 25 and 60 years old were included. Anthropometric, body composition, and physical activity variables were assessed, and postural control was evaluated using the Sensory Organization Test. No correlation was found between the level of physical activity and postural control, assessed by the Sensory Organization Test within the whole sample. However, within the group with a higher total fat mass percentage, non-sedentary individuals presented improved scores on the somatosensory organization test when compared to sedentary individuals (96.9 ± 1.8 vs. 95.4 ± 1.2; p < 0.05) and poorer scores on the composite equilibrium score (73.4 ± 7.2 vs. 79.2 ± 6.9; p < 0.05). The altered integration of somatosensory inputs most likely affects the tuning, sequencing, and execution of balance strategies in sedentary men with a high total fat mass percentage.

Added body mass alters plantar shear stresses, postural control, and gait kinetics: Implications for obesity

Context

Obesity is a growing global health concern. The increased body mass and altered mass distribution associated with obesity may be related to increases in plantar shear that putatively leads to physical functional deficits. Therefore, measurement of plantar shear may provide unique insights on the effects of body mass and body distribution on physical function or performance.

Purpose

1) To investigate the effects of body mass and distribution on plantar shear. 2) To examine how altered plantar shear influences postural control and gait kinetics.

Hypothesis

1) a weighted vest forward distributed (FV) would shift the center of pressure (CoP) location forward during standing compared with a weighted vest evenly distributed (EV), 2) FV would increase plantar shear spreading forces more than EV during standing, 3) FV would increase postural sway during standing while EV would not, and 4) FV would elicit greater compensatory changes during walking than EV.

Methods

Twenty healthy young males participated in four different tests: 1) static test (for measuring plantar shear and CoP location without acceleration, 2) bilateral-foot standing postural control test, 3) single-foot standing postural test, and 4) walking test. All tests were executed in three different weight conditions: 1) unweighted (NV), 2) EV with 20% added body mass, and 3) FV, also with 20% added body mass. Plantar shear stresses were measured using a pressure/shear device, and several shear and postural control metrics were extracted. Repeated measures ANOVAs with Holms post hoc test were used to compare each metric among the three conditions (α = 0.05).

Results

FV and EV increased both AP and ML plantar shear forces compared to NV. FV shifted CoP forward in single-foot trials. FV and EV showed decreased CoP range and velocity and increased Time-to-Boundary (TTB) during postural control compared to NV. EV and FV showed increased breaking impulse and propulsive impulse compared to NV. In addition, EV showed even greater impulses than FV. While EV increased ML plantar shear spreading force, FV increased AP plantar shear spreading force during walking.

Conclusion

Added body mass increases plantar shear spreading forces. Body mass distribution had greater effects during dynamic tasks. In addition, healthy young individuals seem to quickly adapt to external stimuli to control postural stability. However, as this is a first step study, follow-up studies are necessary to further support the clinical role of plantar shear in other populations such as elderly and individuals with obesity or diabetes.

Associations Between Women's Obesity Status and Diminished Cutaneous Sensibility Across Foot Sole Regions

People who are obese sustain very high foot pressures when standing, with potential consequences to their feet soles' cutaneous sensibility. In the current investigation, we performed a detailed assessment of foot sole sensibility in women with morbid obesity (n = 13; age = 38.85, SD = 8.09 years) status in comparison with leaner women (n = 13; age = 37.62, SD = 7.10 years). We estimated tactile feet sole sensibility through graduated monofilament light touch applied at several hotspots of both feet soles, covering the toes, metatarsal heads, midfoot internal and lateral arches, and heel. Intergroup comparisons per foot sole region indicated significantly lower sensibility for the group with morbid obesity under the fifth and third metatarsal heads, midfoot lateral and internal arches and heel. We found a large variation across the sole regions, with the lowest difference between the obese and lean groups observed under the hallux (18%) and the largest difference observed under the lateral arch of the midfoot (76%). Correlation analyses between body weight and sensibility scores revealed a significant positive correlation among participants who were leaner (r_s = 0.56, p = 0.05) but not among participants who were obese (r_s = -0.06, p = 0.83). Mainly, our results showed that morbid obesity was associated with significantly higher cutaneous sensibility thresholds, with large variability of the sensibility deficit across different regions of both feet soles. Due to its functional relevance for body balance control, reduced sensibility thresholds among women who are morbidly obese may have implications for stance stability.

Effects of Tai Chi Chuan and Brisk Walking Exercise on Balance Ability in Elderly Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial

This study aims to investigate the effects of Tai Chi Chuan (TCC) and brisk walking (BW) on balance and training duration for the two exercises to significantly improve balance. A total of 48 elderly women were randomly divided into three groups. The TCC and BW groups completed a 60-min intervention training program with five sessions weekly for 16 weeks. Single-leg standing balance was tested every 4 weeks. Results showed that all the variables with eyes open improved on the eighth week (p < .05) in the TCC group and on the 12th week (p < .01) in the BW group. All variables with eyes closed improved on the 12th week (p < .01) in the TCC group and on the 16th week (p < .05) in the BW group. The results showed that 12 and 16 weeks of TCC and BW, respectively were essential to improve balance with eyes closed among the women aged 60-70 years.