The influence of fear of falling on orthostatic postural control: a systematic review

• Main Authors: Nélio Silva de Souza (Author), Ana Carolina Gomes Martins (Author), Dângelo J.A. Alexandre (Author), Marco Orsini (Author), Victor Hugo do Vale Bastos (Author), Marco Antônio A. Leite (Author), Silmar Teixeira (Author), Bruna Velasques (Author), Pedro Ribeiro (Author), Juliana Bittencourt (Author), André Palma da Cunha Matta (Author), Pedro Moreira Filho (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: MDPI AG, 2015-12-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.

Summary

Posture is a complex sensory-motor behavior that can be influenced by the fear of falling (FoF) during environmental changes. The aim of this paper is to investigate the influence of FoF on orthostatic postural control in healthy individuals by a systematic review. Thirteen articles were selected. Some other articles (31 references) were used to contextualize and discuss the topic. Studies in the environment made changes on the environment, in which participants were positioned in high hydraulic platforms at different heights, showed a decrease in the center of pressure in the anteroposterior oscillation where the platform was higher. This change in postural control strategy and the FoF are correlated. It can modulate the activity of the muscle spindle (H-reflex) and probably induce postural freezing phenomenon (anticipated postural anxiety). We can conclude that further studies are needed to understand the physiological mechanisms involved in FoF and its relation to changes in postural control strategy.

Item Description

2035-8385
2035-8377
10.4081/ni.2015.6057