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Background: Age is one of the most frequent reasons mentioned for the deterioration in human postural stability. Involution processes associated with a deterioration of stability are primarily: a slowing of the motor reactions related to a decline in the average conduction rate of nerve impulses, loss of muscle mass, loss of receptors in the balance controlling organs, and a decrease in visual acuity. The aim of this study was to determine in which organ, responsible for controlling human balance, changes will already appear in early old age, and whether these changes can be diagnosed using CDP. Methods: The study was conducted on a group of 141 women (41 elderly aged 65.5 ± 4.6 years, 100 young women aged 20.7 ± 1.2 years). The posturographic study was carried out using the dynamic EquiTest posturograph manufactured by NeuroCom International. The study protocol included the Sensory Organisation Test (SOT), the Motor Control Test (MCT) and the Adaptation Test (ADT). Results: The SOT results show significantly greater displacements of the body's Centre of Gravity projected onto the posture plane in the anterior-posterior direction in the elderly under all test conditions. The Latencies, determined from MCT, differed significantly between the two groups under all test conditions. Conclusion: In women aged over 60, the perception of stimuli received by the visual and vestibular organs is impaired and their proficiency in controlling body balance is lower. Thus, they are more likely to adopt a hip strategy to maintain balance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bisphosphonates (BPs) are well-known substances with very efficient antiresorptive properties. Their beneficial actions are useful not only in achieving better bone mineral density but also in improving bone microarchitecture, strength and, consequently, its quality. Surgical cement, being a polymer composite, is required to be highly biocompatible and biotolerant. The goal of the presented study was to assess whether the enrichment of cement with pamidronate has changed its biomechanical properties. We compared the biomechanical parameters of clean bone cement and BP-enriched bone cement, which were both used formerly in our rat models. Biomechanical properties of BP-enriched bone cement are defined by two basic terms: stress and strain, which are caused by the influence of external force. In the investigatory process of the bone's biomechanical parameters, the compressive test and the three-point flexural tests were used. During the three-point flexural investigation, the sample was supported at both ends and loaded in the middle, resulting in a flexure. After a specific range of flexure, the sample was fractured. In obtained results, there were no significant differences in the values of the stress determined at the point of maximal load and the energy stored in the samples for proportional stress-strain limit (elastic region). There were also no significant differences in the density of the samples. The study shows that the enrichment of bisphosphonates causes yielding of the bone cement material. In the presented data, we conclude that use of pamidronate implanted in bone cement did not have a detrimental effect on its biomechanical properties. Therefore, the obtained results encouraged us to perform further in vivo experiments which assess the biomechanical properties of bones implanted with BP-enriched bone cement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]