Postural analysis in time and frequency domains in patients with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome

The goal of this work is to analyze postural control in Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS)participants in time and frequency domain.This study considered a pathological group composed by 22 EDS participantsperforming a postural test consisting in maintaining standing position over a forceplatform for 30 s in two conditions: open eyes (OE) and closed eyes (CE). In order tocompare pathological group we acquired in the same conditions a control group composedby 20 healthy participants.The obtained center of pressure (COP) signal was analyzed in time and frequencydomain using an AR model.Results revealed differences between pathological and control group: EDS participantspointed out difficulties in controlling COP displacements trying to keep it inside the BOS inAP direction and for this reason increased the use of ML mechanism in order to avoid therisk of fall. Also in CE conditions they demonstrated more difficulties in maintainingposture revealing the proprioceptive system is impaired, due to ligament laxity thatcharacterized EDS participants.Frequency domain analysis showed no differences between the two groups, affirmingthat the changes in time domain reflected really the impairment to the postural controlmechanism and not a different strategy assumed by EDS participants.These data could help in decision-making process to establish a correct rehabilitationapproach, based on the reinforcing of muscle tone to supply the ligament laxity in order toprevent risks of falls and its consequences.