INTRODUCTION: Menopause is the period of life in which women experience progressive changes in their body. Muscular strength and balance are important examples of changes occurring in this group of individuals. OBJECTIVE: Evaluation and correlation of the static balance, quadriceps strength and ankle dorsiflexor torque in fertile (n = 20) and post-menopausal women (n = 45) were studied. METHODS: A device was used to record the ankle dorsiflexion torque and the quadriceps strength was measured according to the concept of one repetition maximum. The assessment of the static balance was made with the Polhemus system. RESULTS: The control group presented ankle dorsiflexor torque and quadriceps strength greater than the post-menopausal women, but the static balance was not different between groups. In control group, correlation was observed only between quadriceps strength and using the fixed platform with eyes closed. In the post-menopausal women there was a correlation between static balance and the ankle dorsiflexor torque in the fixed platform with eyes open (r = 0.386; p = 0.008); fixed platform with eyes closed (r = 0.373; p = 0.01) and unstable platform with eyes open (r = 0.343; p = 0.02). In this group correlation between static balance and quadriceps strength was observed in testing the use of fixed platform with eyes closed (r = 0.315; p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that the diminished muscular strength after menopause seems to be related to the hypoestrogenism and that the ankle dorsiflexor torque is an important factor for the maintenance of static balance in the first years of menopause.
Post-menopause; Balance. Torque; Muscle strength
