Schizophrenic patients have a high incidence of falls and fractures. We evaluated postural stability in schizophrenic patients using computerized static and dynamic posturography (CDP).

To measure normal and perturbed stability in schizophrenics.

To objectively demonstrate postural abnormalities in schizophrenics.

We retrospectively evaluated CDP studies on 54 consecutive schizophrenic patients. CDP was done using FallTrak (R). Patients performed normal stability - eyes open (NS/EO), normal stability- eyes closed (NS/EC), perturbed stability - eyes open (PS/EO), and perturbed stability - eyes closed (PS/EC) for 30 seconds each. Findings were classified as normal or abnormal based on age-matched normative data.

The ages ranged from 31 to 77 years. There were 34 (63.0%) males and 20 (37.0%) females. Of the total 54 patients, 48 (88.9%) exhibited abnormalities on CDP testing. NS-EO was abnormal in 29 (53.7%), NS-EC was abnormal in 37 (68.5%); both NS-EO and NS-EC were abnormal in 25 (46.3%); PS-EO was abnormal in 27 (50.0%) and PS-EC was abnormal in 20 (37.0%). Both PS-EO and PS-EC were abnormal in 14 (25.9%). Both PS and NS were abnormal in 26 (48.1%). NS was normal in 13 (24.1%) and PS was normal in 21 (38.9%). Both NS and PS were normal in 6 (11.1%) patients.

Most schizophrenic patients show abnormalities in both normal and perturbed stability when tested using static and dynamic posturography. Balance was normal in only 11.1 % of the patients. Further studies are needed to evaluate the clinical significance of these findings.