BACKGROUND AND AIMS Vision is an important prerequisite for balance control and mobility. The role of objectively measured visual functions has been previously studied but less is known about associations of functional vision, that refers to self-perceived vision-based ability to perform daily activities. The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between functional vision and bal...

Balance ability among the elderly is a key component in the activities of daily living and is divided into two types: static and dynamic. For clinicians who wish to assess the risk of falling among their elderly patients, it is unclear if more than one type of balance test can be used to measure their balance impairment. In this study, we examined the association between static balance measures...

In the present review article, we summarise current thinking about the neuroendocrinology of appetite and feeding behaviour. We discuss how the homeostatic control of energy balance, wherein the hypothalamus orchestrates food intake and energy expenditure in response to peripheral signals about nutritional status, can be easily overridden by the powerful reward value of food. We focus on how fu...

CONTEXT Improving postural stability through balance training may prevent ankle sprains. Exercise Sandals may increase the demands placed on ankle muscles during rehabilitation, which could improve postural stability. OBJECTIVE To examine the effects of functional balance training, with and without the use of Exercise Sandals, on postural stability in subjects with stable or unstable ankles. ...

Background: Aging often results in thoracic kyphosis and adverse postural changes. This may interfere with physiologic activity of paraspinal muscles. Few styles of spinal orthosis have been already used to reduce thoracic kyphosis. This paper describes the development of a novel orthosis, which is designed based on the anatomy of the back muscles. This novel orthosis may potentiate muscle acti...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Physical therapy interventions are often based on assumed relationships among impairments, functional performance, and disability. The purposes of this study were (1) to describe balance impairments, functional performance, and disability in subjects with unilateral peripheral vestibular hypofunction (UVH) and bilateral peripheral vestibular hypofunction (BVH), (2) to exa...

BACKGROUND Ageing is associated with changes to the structure and function of the foot and ankle, and there is preliminary evidence that foot problems impair balance and increase the risk of falls. To explore this in more detail, we conducted a study to determine the relative contribution of several foot and ankle characteristics to performance on a range of balance and functional tests. METH...

Objectives. To (1) compare the bone strength, lower limb muscular strength, functional balance performance, and balance self-efficacy between Ving Tsun (VT) martial art practitioners and nonpractitioners and (2) identify the associations between lower limb muscular strength, functional balance performance, and balance self-efficacy among the VT-trained participants. Methods. Thirty-five VT prac...

whole body vibration (wbv) is a contemporary treatment modality that holds promise as an exercise training method in health–compromised individuals. a growing number of studies on individuals with parkinson disease are examining whether wbv improves balance and functional mobility. however, interpreting wbv studies is challenging since there is variability in the manner in which wbv interventio...