Fig. 1.
Description of the studies included in the review
| Author | Measurement of postural stability | Study participants | Main conclusions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geurts et al. [10] | Velocity of COP: (1) standing barefoot with EO. EC and in smudged glasses for 20 sec; (2) modified Stroop test 3 × 30 sec in sitting position | HMSN I | HMSN II | HS | Compared to the control group, patients with HMSN show decreased effectiveness of postural control as well as increased visual control of posture in standing position | |
| 8 | 6 | 14 | ||||
| Nardone et al. [7] | Sway area: (1) standing with feet together, EO and EC for 51 sec; (2) standing with feet 10 cm apart, EO and EC for 51 sec | CMT1A | HS | Most CMT1A patients are able to maintain a normal standing position because their Aß fibres are only slightly altered anatomically or functionally | ||
| 15 | 46 | |||||
| Nardone et al. [8] | Sway area: standing with feet 10 cm apart, EO and EC for 51 sec | CMT1A | CMT2 | DN | HS | CMT2 and DN patients are unstable when standing. CMT1A patients show only a slight deterioration of postural control (statistically insignificant) compared to healthy subjects due to the fact that their Aß fibres are relatively spared. |
| 5 | 8 | 1 | 20 | |||
| van der Linden et al. [1] | Velocity of COP: (1) standing with EO; (2) standing with EC; (3) standing with EO on uneven surface; (4) standing with EC on uneven surface. Each task lasted 30 sec | CMT1A | SMA (distal) | HS | Compared to healthy subjects, postural stability is seriously weakened in both groups. Postural instability of CMT1A patients correlates significantly with a weakened vibration sensation. | |
| 9 | 8 | 11 | ||||
| Nardone et al. [11] | Sway area: standing with EO and EC. Each test lasted 51 sec | CMT1A | DN | HS | Patients with CMT1A show a normal body sway area in standing position, while in patients with diabetic neuropathy the sway area is larger compared to both healthy subjects and CMT1A patients. | |
| 10 | 12 | 38 | ||||
| Tozza et al. [12] | Velocity of COP and sway area: standing with EO and EC, feet 10 cm apart. Each test lasted 51 sec | CMT1A | HS | |||
| 21 | 24 | |||||
| Costa et al. [13] | Velocity of COP: three measurements with EO and EC, each measurement lasted 15 sec. | CMT2G | HS | In a mild course of the disease, postural instability of patients with CMT2G results from weakening of the dorsal and plantar flexors of the foot. In the more advanced form of the disease, weakened lower leg muscles and impaired proprioception are the cause of poorer postural control. | ||
| 15 | 15 | |||||