Review Article

Postural Control and Gait Performance in the Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy: A Systematic Review

Table 1

Study characteristics on the impairments of postural control’s studies.

AuthorSample sizeAgeGroupsExamined variablesProcedureResults and conclusion

Boucher et al. (1995) [17]29Not statedDPN (17)
Control (12)
Postural sway:
(1) sway range;
(2) sway speed;
(3) sway dispersion
Kistler piezoelectric force platform was used to measure the displacement of the COP foot in EO and EC conditions.DPN showed a larger range of sway, faster sway speed, and greater sway dispersion than control in EO and EC.

Corriveau et al. (2000) [18]30>60DPN (15)
Control (15)
COP-COM in A/P and M/LStanding on two adjacent force platforms in EO and EC condition.DPN group demonstrated less stable posture than the control group, with EO and EC.

Dickstein et al. (2003) [19]18Not statedDPN (8)
Control (10)
Postural respondsStanding barefoot with EC on the surface of a dual force platform. Each subject was tested under three touch conditions—no touch (NT), light touch (LT), and heavy touch (HT)—during three backward translation velocities of 10, 20, and 30 cm/s.Postural response latencies were significantly longer and scaling of initial response magnitude in proportion to translation velocity was significantly smaller in the DPN group compared to the control group.

Dixit et al. (2015) [20]61Not statedDPN (61)Postural stabilityForce platform in static stance and at pelvis width in EO, EC, and EO on foam and EC on foam.There was a significant difference in DPN group, with greater sway amplitude on firm and foam surface in all the conditions.

Fahmy et al. (2014) [21]6040–50DPN (30)
Control (30)
Postural stability (effect of proprioceptive sense and vestibular function)BMS force plate:
(i) LOS test: maximum distance a person can displace his COG without losing balance.
(ii) mCTSIB: standing on the force plate with EO and then EC, using firm and foam surfaces successively.
DPN group reduced postural stability in EC compared to the control group.
Affection of foot sensation and proprioception in DPN may affect the result of LOS and postural stability examination.

de Souza Fortaleza et al. (2013) [22]3055–70DPN (13)
Control (17)
Postural control:
(MAO-A/P, MAO-M/L, ASO-A/P, and ASO-M/L)
MAO and ASO were analyzed by a kinematics system with standing position for 30 seconds in EO, EC, and ST. There was increase in MAO-A/P (due to vision) and MAO-M/L (due to reducing BOS) in DPN in the EO and EC.
MAO-A/P failed to show changes in the ST position in the DPN group.

Fulk et al. (2010) [23]83Not statedDM with PN (25)
DM without DPN (7)
DPN without DM (19)
Control (32)
Postural perturbationSliding Linear Investigative Platform for Assessing Lower Limb Stability (SLIP-FALLS).DM with and without DPN group required higher accelerations to detect a 1 mm and 4 mm displacement.
DPN may not be the only cause of impaired balance in people with DM.

Giacomini et al. (1996) [24]54Not statedDPN (23)
DM without DPN (10)
Control (21)
Body sway:
(1) velocity of COG sway;
(2) VFY
Static posturography with EO and EC.Mean velocity of sway,
velocity, and VFY were higher in DPN group, which lead to instability.

Nardone et al. (2006) [25]4743–77DPN (27)
Control (20)
Reflex responses to stance perturbation (static and dynamic)Static standing EO and EC on a tilting platform.
Stabilometry (dynamometric platform).
Dynamic balance (horizontal sinusoidal platform) in the A-P direction.
DPN group are unstable during quiet stance compared to the control group.
During a dynamic balance task, the head AP displacement was only slightly increased in the patient groups with respect to normal group.

Palma et al. (2013) [26]2040–54DPN (10)
DM without DPN (10)
Static balanceStatic balance was evaluated using the COP mean ratio on a Wii Balance Board® under EO and EC.DPN group demonstrated worse static balance than participants without DPN in the EC.

Salsabili et al. (2013) [27]1940–70DPN (19)COP fluctuations AP and ML Force platform.DPN group has decreased in postural sway at low-medium frequencies showing lower reliance on vestibular system.

Sawacha et al. (2009) [28]67Not statedDPN (26)
DM without DPN (21)
Control (20)
PosturePlantar pressure systems.Altered posture was found in diabetic patients irrespective of polyneuropathy.

Simoneau et al. (1994) [29]5140–70DPN (17)
DM without DPN (17)
Control (17)
Postural stability Standing on force platform under four conditions: EO/head straight, EO/head back, EC/head straight, and EC/head back.DPN group had a significant effect on stability during standing, but DM and control groups had no effect.

Toosizadeh et al. (2015) [30]36>55DPN (18)
Control (18)
Body sway parameters Standing with EO and EC with 2 sensors (triaxial accelerometer and triaxial gyroscope) attached to the ankle and hip joints.Body sway (COG (AP) sway, COG (ML) sway, and COG sway) in EO and EC in DPN group was higher than that in the control group.

Turcot et al. (2009) [31]36Not statedDM without DPN (12)
DPN (12)
Control (12)
Balance stabilityQuiet standing balance was investigated using an accelerometric-based method in EO and EC.
Accelerations were measured at lumbar and ankle levels using three accelerometers.
DPN group have greater postural instability with higher acceleration values than those of control group and DM without DPN.

Uccioli et al. (1995) [32]54Not statedDPN (23)
DM without DPN (10)
Control (21)
Body sway:
(1) trace length;
(2) trace surface;
(3) MVEL
Static posturography with EO and EC There were larger trace surfaces, longer trace length, and faster MVEL in EO and EC condition in DPN compared to other groups.
DPN group demonstrate high postural sway.

Yamamoto et al. (2001) [33]110Not statedDPN (32)
DM without DPN (23)
Control (55)
Postural swayPosturographyDPN group exhibited an inability to maintain an upright posture.

EO: eyes open, EC: eyes closed, BMS: Balance Master System, LOS: limits of stability, mCTSIB: Modified Clinical Test of Sensory Interaction on Balance, COP: Centre of Pressure, COM: Centre of Mass, COG: Centre of Gravity, A/P: anterior/posterior, M/L: medial/lateral, MAO: Mean Amplitude Oscillation, ASO: Average Speed Oscillation, ST: Semitandem, MVEL: mean velocity of body sway, and VFY: physiological ankle control to hip postural control.