People begin to lose their balance in their old age just as
their bones get more fragile, a deadly combination that can lead
to crippling or fatal falls. The elderly grow wobbly in part
because their nervous systems become less sensitive to the
changes in foot pressure whenever they lean one way or another.
No one keeps perfect posture--everyone sways at least a little--
and the brain needs the cues from the soles to stay balanced.
Foot massages could help those who have balance problems.
Research led by bioengineer James J. Collins of Boston
University shows that gentle stimulation of the feet helps
elderly study subjects. The key is that the vibrations must be
random--or, put another way, noisy. Usually, noise interferes
with the main signal--think of static drowning out a television
picture or attempts at conversation in a crowded room. Under the
right circumstances, however, noise can actually boost weak
signals. The effect is known as stochastic resonance, and it
occurs in electronic circuits, global clim