Citation

Swanenburg J, de Bruin ED, Uebelhart D, Mulder T. Gait Posture 2010; 31(3): 317-321.

Affiliation

Department of Rheumatology and Institute of Physical Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, Gloriastrasse 25, CH-8091 Zurich, Switzerland.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.gaitpost.2009.11.013

PMID

20047833

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to determine whether force plate variables in single- and dual-task situations are able to predict the risk of multiple falls in a community-dwelling elderly population. Two hundred and seventy elderly persons (225 females, 45 males; age, 73+/-7 years) performed balance assessment with and without vision. Seven force plate variables were assessed to predict the risk of multiple falls; maximum displacement in the anteroposterior and medial-lateral directions (Max-AP, Max-ML), mean displacement in the medial-lateral direction (MML), the root mean square amplitude in anteroposterior and medial-lateral directions (RMS-AP, RMS-ML), the average speed of displacement (V), and the area of the 95th percentile ellipse (AoE). Falls were prospectively recorded during the following year. A total of 437 registered falls occurred during monitoring period. The force plate variable RMS-ML in the single-task condition (odds ratio, 21.8) predicted multiple falls together with the following covariables: history of multiple falls (odds ratio, 5.6), use of medications (fall-risk medications or multiple medicine use; odds ratio, 2.3), and gender (odds ratio, 0.34). Multiple fallers had a narrower stance width than non-fallers.

Language: en