BMC geriatrics
Outdoor cycling competence and balance control in older adults - cross-sectional analysis of the BiPerAge trial
By Rogler J, Krumpoch S, Freiberger E and 9 others.
Abstract
Background
Although cycling offers numerous health benefits, age-related functional decline can increase the risk of accidents. Identifying balance components linked to outdoor cycling competence could inform targeted assessment and training. We aimed to exploratorily investigate the association between outdoor cycling competence and static, dynamic, and reactive balance control in older adults.
Methods
In this exploratory cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from a two-center randomized controlled trial, 116 community-dwelling adults aged ≥ 65 years with ≥ 3 errors on a standardized outdoor cycling course completed a balance test battery: Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), including gait speed, Modified Balance Error Scoring System (MBESS) and Four Square Step Test (FSST). Cycling-specific trunk balance was assessed with the Perturbation Stationary Bicycle Robotics (PerStBiRo) system, which delivers unannounced angular-tilt perturbations during stationary cycling. We derived mediolateral (ML) trunk sway during unperturbed cycling (UPC) and trunk time-to-peak angle (s) and trunk sway (°) during perturbed cycling (PC). Spearman correlations and multivariable models adjusted for age, sex and country were used to examine associations with the number of errors in the standardized outdoor cycling course.