I Melzer1, I Kurz, D Shahar, M Levi, Lie Oddsson. 1. Rehabilitation and Movement Analysis Laboratory in the Leon and Matilda Recanati School for Community Health Professions, Physical Therapy Department, Faculty of Health Sciences at Ben-Gurion University, Israel. itzikm@bgumail.bgu.ac.il
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To assess the use of the Voluntary Step Execution Test to identify fallers. DESIGN: Cross-sectional retrospective. SETTING: Two self-care, residential facilities. PARTICIPANTS: a total of 100 healthy old volunteers (mean age = 78.4 +/- 5.7). MEASUREMENTS: The study investigated the use of the Voluntary Step Execution Test to identify fallers under single and dual-task conditions. Berg Balance Test (BBS) and Timed Get Up and Go (TUG) were used to assess balance and gait function. RESULTS: There were no significant differences found between fallers and non-fallers in BBS and TUG (50.5 +/- 4.6 versus 52.5 +/- 3.4 and 9.4 +/- 3.4 versus 7.98 +/- 2.3 respectively). There were no statistically significant differences between non-fallers and fallers across all step execution parameters under the single-task condition. However, adding cognitive load to the Voluntary Step Execution Test revealed statistically significant increases in duration of the preparatory phase, swing time and the time to foot-contact (P = 0.035;P = 0.033 and P = 0.037, respectively). Based on the coefficients of the logistic regression model participants with dual-task step execution times of > or =1,100 ms had five times the risk of falling than participants with execution times of <1,100 ms. CONCLUSIONS: The study provides evidence that a simple, safe measure of step execution under dual-task conditions can identify elderly individuals at risk for falls.
OBJECTIVES: To assess the use of the Voluntary Step Execution Test to identify fallers. DESIGN: Cross-sectional retrospective. SETTING: Two self-care, residential facilities. PARTICIPANTS: a total of 100 healthy old volunteers (mean age = 78.4 +/- 5.7). MEASUREMENTS: The study investigated the use of the Voluntary Step Execution Test to identify fallers under single and dual-task conditions. Berg Balance Test (BBS) and Timed Get Up and Go (TUG) were used to assess balance and gait function. RESULTS: There were no significant differences found between fallers and non-fallers in BBS and TUG (50.5 +/- 4.6 versus 52.5 +/- 3.4 and 9.4 +/- 3.4 versus 7.98 +/- 2.3 respectively). There were no statistically significant differences between non-fallers and fallers across all step execution parameters under the single-task condition. However, adding cognitive load to the Voluntary Step Execution Test revealed statistically significant increases in duration of the preparatory phase, swing time and the time to foot-contact (P = 0.035;P = 0.033 and P = 0.037, respectively). Based on the coefficients of the logistic regression model participants with dual-task step execution times of > or =1,100 ms had five times the risk of falling than participants with execution times of <1,100 ms. CONCLUSIONS: The study provides evidence that a simple, safe measure of step execution under dual-task conditions can identify elderly individuals at risk for falls.
Authors: Patrick J Sparto; Susan I Fuhrman; Mark S Redfern; Subashan Perera; J Richard Jennings; Alia A Alghwiri; Joseph M Furman Journal: Exp Brain Res Date: 2014-09-03 Impact factor: 1.972
Authors: Patrick J Sparto; Susan I Fuhrman; Mark S Redfern; Subashan Perera; J Richard Jennings; Alia A Alghwiri; Joseph M Furman Journal: Exp Brain Res Date: 2015-04 Impact factor: 1.972
Authors: Eran Gazit; Aron S Buchman; Robert Dawe; Thomas A Curran; Anat Mirelman; Nir Giladi; Jeffrey M Hausdorff Journal: Gait Posture Date: 2019-11-09 Impact factor: 2.840
Authors: Marcus Fraga Vieira; Isabel de Camargo Neves Sacco; Fernanda Grazielle da Silva Azevedo Nora; Dieter Rosenbaum; Paula Hentschel Lobo da Costa Journal: PLoS One Date: 2015-08-13 Impact factor: 3.240