Falls represent a significant cause of mortality and morbidity in elderly populations. A large body of evidence suggests that an age-related decrease in postural stability is a causative factor for falls amongst the elderly. It has been previously observed that standing postural stability is negatively correlated with maximum isometric torque at the ankle joint, indicating that weakness of the ankle musculature contributes to falls in the elderly. However, the specific relationship between this weakness and postural stability has not been described. The aim of this study was to establish if the mechanical contribution of ankle muscles in the upright stance differed between young adults (n=10), elderly non-fallers (n=12) and elderly fallers (n=20).