BACKGROUND: The role of instrumented balance and gait assessment when screening for prospective fallers is currently a topic of controversial discussion.
OBJECTIVES: This study analyzed the association between variables derived from static posturography, instrumented gait analysis and clinical assessments with the occurrence of prospective falls in a sample of community dwelling older people.
METHODS: In this study 84 older people were analyzed. Based on a prospective occurrence of falls, participants were categorized into fallers and non-fallers. Variables derived from clinical assessments, static posturography and instrumented gait analysis were evaluated with respect to the association with the occurrence of prospective falls using a forward stepwise, binary, logistic regression procedure.
RESULTS: Fallers displayed a significantly shorter single support time during walking while counting backwards, increased mediolateral to anteroposterior sway amplitude ratio, increased fast mediolateral oscillations and a larger coefficient (Coeff) of sway direction during various static posturography tests. Previous falls were insignificantly associated with the occurrence of prospective falls.
CONCLUSION: Variables derived from posturography and instrumented gait analysis showed significant associations with the occurrence of prospective falls in a sample of community dwelling older adults.