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Using Motion Capture Technology in the Instrumented Timed Up and Go Test to Detect the Risk of Falling in Aged Adults
Published on: October 25, 2024
Fear of falling among people who have sustained a stroke: a 6-month longitudinal pilot study
Arlene A Schmid1, Marieke Van Puymbroeck, Kasie Knies
1Roudebush Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Health Services Research and Development Center on Implementing Evidence-Based Practice, 1481 West 10th Street, 11H, Indianapolis, IN, USA. arlene.schmid@va.gov
Objective:
Fear of falling (FoF) after stroke is not well understood. We assessed change in FoF over the first 6 mo after a stroke and compared 6-mo anxiety, depression, balance, and quality of life (QoL) scores between people with and without baseline FoF (at the time of hospital discharge).
Method:
Data for this longitudinal study were collected at baseline and 6 mo. Of the 28 people included at baseline, 18 remained in the study 6 mo later.
Results:
FoF significantly decreased over time (p = .015). Participants with baseline FoF had higher 6-mo anxiety and depression scores (s = .002 and .005, respectively) and lower QoL scores (p < .001) than did those without baseline FoF.
Conclusion:
The results are suggestive of the need for occupational therapists and their colleagues to consider anxiety and depression variables in managing the needs of poststroke participants experiencing FoF.
