The objective of the study was to examine the association between handgrip strength (HGS), knee flexion and extension strength, and static and dynamic balance in older women. One hundred and ten women with a mean age of 67.4±5.9 years were assessed for dynamic postural balance using the Time Up & Go Test (TUG) with and without cognitive tasks. Semi-static balance was assessed by means of a force platform; knee flexor and extensor muscle strength was calculated using an isokinetic dynamometer; and HGS using a hand held dynamometer. Weaker HGS was significantly correlated with worse performance in dynamic postural balance, as well as performance with TUG with and without cognitive tasks; however, there was no correlation between HGS and static balance. There was a moderate positive correlation between knee flexion/extension strength and HGS. This suggests that HGS could be used as a proxy indicator of overall strength capacity for clinical screening among older women.

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: Maintainance of postural balance requires detection of body movements, integration of sensory information in the central nervous system and an appropriate motor response. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether lower-limb dominance has an influence on postural balance. DESIGN AND SETTING: This was a cross-sectional study conducted at Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (FMUSP) and at Hospital do Coração (HCor). METHODS: Forty healthy sedentary males aged 20 to 40 years, without any injuries, were evaluated. A single-foot balance test was carried out using the Biodex Balance System equipment, comparing the dominant leg with the nondominant leg of the same individual. The instability protocols used were level 8 (more stable) and level 2 (less stable), and three instability indices were calculated: anteroposterior, mediolateral and general. RESULTS: The volunteers' mean age was 26 ± 5 years (range: 20-38), mean weight 72.3 ± 11 kg (range: 46-107) and mean height 176 ± 6 cm (range: 169-186). Thirty-four of them (85%) presented right-leg dominance (defined according to which leg they used for kicking) and six (15%) had left-leg dominance. There were no significant differences between the dominant and nondominant legs at the two levels of stability (eight and two), for any of the instability indices (general, anteroposterior and mediolateral). CONCLUSION: The lower-limb dominance did not influence single-foot balance among sedentary males.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the anthropometric factors of height, body mass, body mass index and postural balance and to compare the balance indices between genders in the upright standing position, in healthy adult subjects under conditions of instability. Forty individuals were subjected to functional tests of body stability using the Biodex Balance System, and the resulting indices were correlated with body mass, height, and body mass index, and also compared between genders. Body mass was the main anthropometric factor that influenced variations in postural balance, with a high correlation between groups and with all variables. A linear regression analysis showed that body mass associated with BMI explained 66% of the overall stability, and body mass explained 59% of the anteroposterior stability index and 65% of the mediolateral stability index. In the female group, body mass explained 72% of the overall balance, 66% of the anteroposterior, and 76% of the medio-lateral stability index. Increased body mass requires greater movements to maintain postural balance. Height and BMI presented moderate correlations with balance. Women showed less movement than men on the Biodex Balance System.

To compare radial shockwave treatment with conventional physiotherapy for plantar fasciitis after 12 months of follow-up. This was a randomized, prospective, comparative clinical study. Forty patients with a diagnosis of plantar fasciitis were divided randomly into two treatment groups: group 1, with 20 patients who underwent ten physiotherapy sessions comprising ultrasound, kinesiotherapy and guidance for home-based stretching; and group 2, with 20 patients who underwent three applications of radial shockwaves, once a week, and guidance for home-based stretching. All patients were assessed regarding pain and functional abilities before treatment, immediately after and 12 months after treatment. The mean age was 49.6 ±11.8 years (range: 25-68 years), 85% were female, 88% were overweight, 63% were affected bilaterally, and 83% used analgesics regularly. At the 12-month follow-up, both treatments were effective for improving pain and functional ability among the patients with plantar fasciitis. The improvement with shockwaves was faster. Shockwave treatment was not more effective than conventional physiotherapy treatment 12 months after the end of the treatment.

The task of standing up from a chair forms a part of daily life for all independent individuals. However, this task becomes more difficult with advancing age. Women with postmenopausal osteoporosis presented diminished knee extensor and flexor muscle strength. There was a weak correlation between knee muscle strength (greater with extensor strength) and postural balance during the act of standing up. This study aims to evaluate postural balance during the transition from sitting to standing and its relationship with knee extensor and flexor strength among women with and without postmenopausal osteoporosis. Assessments were made on 126 women (aged 55–65 years), divided into osteoporosis and control groups according to lumbar bone density. Their balance during the task of standing up from a chair was evaluated using the Balance Master® device. Knee muscle strength was evaluated using an isokinetic dynamometer (Biodex®), in concentric/concentric mode, at a velocity of 60°/s. Spearman’s correlation between the variables of muscle strength and postural balance was evaluated. Subsequently, to evaluate the association of each balance variable with the group and with muscle strength, multiple linear regression models were fitted. The significance level was set at 0.05. There was a difference in knee muscle strength between the groups (P < 0.05). However, independent of the muscle strength values, there were no differences in relation to weight transfer times (P = 0.556) or center of gravity sway velocity (P = 0.952). Transfer time diminished with increasing extensor strength (P = 0.025). The center of gravity sway velocity tended to increase with increasing extensor strength (P = 0.013) and was the same in the two groups (P = 0.264). Women with postmenopausal osteoporosis presented diminished knee extensor and flexor muscle strength. There was a weak correlation between knee muscle strength (greater with extensor strength) and postural balance during the act of standing up.