Abstract
Background Falls are a major health concern with potentially dramatic consequences for people
over 65 years of age. One crucial determinant in the risk of falls in older adults
is postural control, a complex process that requires the contribution of different
sensory modalities, namely visual, vestibular, auditory, and somatosensory. While
there are well-established methods to screen for age-related vision, hearing, tactile,
and vestibular impairments, there are very few widely available methods to screen
for somatosensory function, but studies indicate that ankle audiometry (vibration
thresholds) using a common B-71 bone vibrator can serve that purpose. To date, unfortunately,
this technique has received little attention as a tool to measure postural instability
in older adults.
Purpose The objective of the present study was to examine postural control in older adults
with and without degradation of the somatosensory functions, as determined with ankle
audiometry.
Research Design This was standard group comparison.
Study Sample In total, 36 healthy elderly aged between 65 and 80 years old were divided into two
groups (low vibration threshold [n = 18] and high vibration threshold [n = 18]).
Data Collection and Analysis Standard audiometry, video head impulse test, vibration thresholds (big toe, ankle,
and tibia), and static postural control task using a force platform were performed.
Results Greater postural instability in participants with higher (worse) vibration thresholds
as compared with participants with lower (better) vibration thresholds was observed
even though both groups were comparable on hearing threshold and vestibular function.
Conclusion The results indicate that performing a simple vibration threshold evaluation, using
a clinically available B-71 with a cut-off value of 42 dB hearing loss, could be an
effective, fast, and easy-to-use procedure for detecting people at risk of falls.
Keywords
ankle audiometry - somatosensory - proprioceptive components - balance - falls
