Identification of healthy elderly fallers and non-fallers by gait analysis under dual-task conditions

We compared falling and non-falling healthy elderly subjects to identify balance disorders associated with falling. Gait parameters were determined when carrying out single and dual tasks.

Case comparison study.

Subjects were studied in the gait laboratory at Hôpital Roger Salengro, Lille, France.

A group of 40 healthy elderly women were assigned to one of two groups according to their falling history: 21 fallers aged 70.4 +/- 6.4 years and 19 non-fallers aged 67.0 +/- 4.8 years. All subjects performed first a single leg balance test with two conditions (eyes open/closed). Then, gait parameters were analysed under single-task and dual motor-task conditions (walking with a glass of water in the hand).

Falls, number of times suspended foot touched the floor during the single leg balance test, cadence, speed, stride time, step time, single-support time, stride length and step length during walking under single- and dual-task conditions.

During the single leg balance test, fallers placed their feet on the floor three times more often than non-fallers under eyes open conditions (P < 0.05) and twice as often under eyes closed conditions (P < 0.05). In the single-task condition, no significant difference in gait parameters was reported between fallers and non-fallers. There was a significant difference (P < 0.05) in the gait parameters (cadence, speed, stride and step time, single-support time) between fallers and non-fallers under dual-task conditions.

Dual tasks perturb walking in fallers, who exhibit deteriorated static balance. Consequently, walking under dual-task conditions plus a single leg balance test could be helpful in detecting walking disorders and planning physiotherapy to prevent falls.