TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2021//
TI  - Falls in post-polio patients: prevalence and risk factors
JO  - Biology (Basel)
A1  - Ofran, Yonah
A1  - Schwartz, Isabella
A1  - Shabat, Sheer
A1  - Seyres, Martin
A1  - Karniel, Naama
A1  - Portnoy, Sigal
SP  - e1110
EP  - e1110
VL  - 10
IS  - 11
N2  - Individuals with post-polio syndrome (PPS) suffer from falls and secondary damage. <br><br>AIM: To (i) analyze the correlation between spatio-temporal gait data and fall measures (fear and frequency of falls) and to (ii) test whether the gait parameters are predictors of fall measures in PPS patients. <br><br>METHODS: Spatio-temporal gait data of 50 individuals with PPS (25 males; age 65.9 ± 8.0) were acquired during gait and while performing the Timed Up-and-Go test. Subjects filled the Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC Scale) and reported number of falls during the past year. <br><br>RESULTS: ABC scores and number of falls correlated with the Timed Up-and-Go, and gait cadence and velocity. The number of falls also correlated with the swing duration symmetry index and the step length variability. Four gait variability parameters explained 33.2% of the variance of the report of falls (p = 0.006). The gait velocity was the best predictor of the ABC score and explained 24.8% of its variance (p = 0.001). <br><br>CONCLUSION: Gait variability, easily measured by wearables or pressure-sensing mats, is an important predictor of falls in PPS population. Therefore, gait variability might be an efficient tool before devising a patient-specific fall prevention program for the PPS patient.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 2079-7737
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/biology10111110
ID  - ref1
ER  -