Postural instability of extremely obese individuals improves after a body weight reduction program entailing specific balance training

The purposes of this study were to compare postural stability between obese and lean subjects and to investigate the effect of a 3-week body weight reduction (BWR) program entailing specific balance training on postural stability of extremely obese patients. Time of balance maintenance and mean error on the medial-lateral direction at the trunk and lower limb level were assessed during a single limb stance on a movable platform in 19 non-obese and in 20 extremely obese individuals (age range: 20-40 yr). Time of balance maintenance was shorter (obese: 21.1+/-7.7 vs lean: 27.3+/-3.1 sec) and medial-lateral sway of the trunk was larger in obese (5.4+/-3.2 degrees) than in lean (3.2+/-1.1 degre…