AGING, SARCOPENIA, AND POSTURAL CONTROL: LIMITS AND CONVERGENCES AMONG FUNCTIONAL ASSESSMENT METHODS

Vollständiger Abstract

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Aging causes muscular and neuromotor changes that reduce postural stability and may increase fall risk, particularly when associated with sarcopenia. This study aimed to analyze the limits and convergences among functional assessment methods of postural control in older adults with sarcopenia, considering their ability to identify functional deficits and fall risk. A qualitative and descriptive literature review was conducted using Google Scholar, Scopus, PubMed, and SciELO, with search terms related to aging, musculoskeletal system, sarcopenia, postural control, balance, and falls. The studies indicate that clinical assessments and physical performance tests have greater applicability and direct correspondence with everyday tasks, but lower ability to discriminate biomechanical and neuromuscular mechanisms. Instrumental methods, including electromyography, force platforms, and movement analysis systems, increase measurement resolution, although they require infrastructure and standardized protocols. It is concluded that the methods converge in identifying functional impairment but differ in sensitivity, assessed domain, and clinical feasibility. Combining complementary measures provides a more consistent interpretation of postural control and fall risk in older adults with sarcopenia.