Heart Rate Variability during Two-Leg to One-Leg Standing Shift in the Elderly

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate healthy elderly persons by a frequency analysis of heart rate variability during shift from two-leg standing to one-leg standing. The high frequency value was lower in the elderly persons in comparison with young adults, but there were no significant differences in heart rate and the low frequency / high frequency ratio of both groups. The low frequency / high frequency ratio of low values of the high frequency group was significantly higher than that of high values of the high frequency group. From these results, we consider that when the elderly experience decreases in parasympathetic nerve function, they compensate by activating sympathetic nerve function.