Citation

Nagai K, Yamada M, Uemura K, Tanaka B, Mori S, Yamada Y, Aoyama T, Ichihashi N, Tsuboyama T. Aging Clin. Exp. Res. 2012; 24(2): 157-161.

Affiliation

Human Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.3275/7716

PMID

21606665

Abstract

Background and aims: Increased fear of falling is associated with greater muscular coactivation during standing postural control. Excessive muscular coactivation reduces the performance of agonist muscles. Although several recent studies have observed increased muscular coactivation during walking in older adults, little is known about the relationship between fear of falling and muscular coactivation during walking. The purpose of this study was to compare muscular coactivation during walking between older adults with fear of falling and older adults without fear of falling. Methods: Thirty-eight healthy older adults (82.3 ± 6.8 years) participated in this study. Walking speed and step length were measured. Electromyography (EMG) data were collected from the tibialis anterior and soleus during walking to calculate the co-contraction index (CI). The subjects were divided into those with fear of falling and those without fear of falling on the basis of a modified Falls Efficacy Scale (FES). Stepwise multiple regression analysis was used, with CI as the dependent variable, and fear of falling, experience of falling (during the past year), walking speed, step length, and age as independent variables. Results: Mean values of CI during walking, walking speed, and step length were 51.9±11.7