Static and dynamic balance control in older golfers

J Aging Phys Act. 2010 Jan;18(1):1-13. doi: 10.1123/japa.18.1.1.

Abstract

Purpose: To determine whether older golfers have better static and dynamic balance control than older but nongolfing healthy adults.

Methods: Eleven golfers and 12 control participants (all male; 66.2 +/- 6.8 and 71.3 +/- 6.6 yr old, respectively) were recruited. Duration of static single-leg stance was timed. Control of body sway was assessed in single-leg stance during forward and backward platform perturbations. The lunge distance normalized with respect to each participant's height was used to compare the 2 groups in a forward-lunge test.

Results: Golfers maintained significantly longer duration in static single-leg stance. They achieved less anteroposterior body sway in perturbed single-leg stance and lunged significantly farther than did control participants.

Conclusions: The better static and dynamic balance control exhibited by older golfers possibly reflects the effects of weight transfers from repeated golf swings during weight shift from 2-leg to predominantly 1-leg stance and from walking on uneven fairways.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Golf / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Leg / physiology
  • Male
  • Muscle, Skeletal / physiology
  • Postural Balance / physiology*
  • Walking / physiology