Low-frequency oscillations in postural sway may have prognostic value for fall risk assessments in aging

Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of cognitive dual-tasking on low-frequency oscillations during quiet standing in older adults. Thirty-two older adults (age 71±8 yrs) were categorized into high- and low-risk fall groups. Both groups performed three trials each of the following tasks: 1) quiet standing with eyes open – on a force plate; 2) quiet standing with eyes open and verbal memory encoding task – on a force plate; and 3) quiet sitting with eyes open and verbal memory encoding task – not on a force plate. We found that: A) older adults at high fall risk exhibit greater postural sway when compared with older adults at low fall risk, B) most of the absolute and normalized wavelet power from 0-4 Hz is concentrated within the 0-1 Hz frequency band across all directions, and C) the absolute change in wavelet power in the 0-1 Hz band from single to dual-task is associated with increased total COP sway displacement irrespective of fall risk group. Based on these findings, it is concluded that nonlinear postural sway measures provide valuable insights into age-associated changes in fall risk and dual-task performance. Focusing on low-frequency oscillations, particularly in the 0-1 Hz band, could enable the earlier identification of individuals at high risk of falls and a better understanding of how the dual-tasking paradigm challenges the aging population.