Evaluation of whole body reaction time and one leg with eye closed balance in elderly Japanese

We evaluated whole body reaction time and one leg with eye closed balance in elderly Japanese. A total of 2059 elderly Japanese (730 men and 1329 women), aged 60 - 79 years, were enrolled in the cross-sectional investigation study. Anthropometric parameters, whole body reaction time and one leg with eye closed balance were measured. Whole body reaction time was significantly higher and one leg with eye closed balance was significantly lower in 70’s than those in 60’s in both sexes. Two hundred twenty seven men (31.1%) and 533 women (40.1%) were having no medications. In men, whole body reaction time was significantly higher and one leg with eye closed balance was significantly lower in subjects with medications than those in subjects without in 60’s. However, significant differences of whole body reaction time and one leg with eye closed balance between subjects with and without medications in men with 70’s and women with 60’s and 70’s were not noted. This standard mean value may provide a useful reference database for evaluating whole body reaction time and one leg with eye closed balance in Japanese elderly subjects.