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Fear of falling and postural performance in the elderly
B E Maki1, P J Holliday, A K Topper
1Centre for Studies in Aging, University of Toronto.
Journal of Gerontology
|July 1, 1991
Summary
Fear of falling significantly impacts balance in older adults, especially during specific tests. This highlights the need to consider psychological factors in assessing postural control and fall risk.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Biomechanics
- Psychology
Background:
- Fear of falling (FoF) is prevalent in the elderly and can affect mobility.
- Understanding the relationship between FoF and objective postural performance is crucial for fall prevention strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between fear of falling and objective measures of postural performance in older adults.
- To differentiate the effects of fear of falling from a history of falls on balance.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study involving 100 independent, ambulatory elderly volunteers (aged 62-96).
- Assessed postural performance using five tests: spontaneous sway, induced sway (anterior-posterior, medial-lateral), one-leg stance, and a clinical balance scale.
- Subjects categorized into faller/non-faller and fear/no-fear groups.
Main Results:
- Individuals with fear of falling showed significantly poorer performance in blindfolded spontaneous sway and eyes-open one-leg stance tests.
- A history of falls was only significantly associated with the clinical balance assessment scale.
- No definitive conclusion on whether fear artifactually impacts performance or reflects true postural control decline.
Conclusions:
- Fear of falling is linked to poorer performance on specific balance tests in the elderly.
- Balance test results in apprehensive individuals should be interpreted cautiously.
- Future research on postural control and falls must account for the confounding influence of fear of falling.