[Contribution of the new technologies to the rehabilitation of the old fallers: a pilot study]

To verify the interest of Vibrosphère™ in the rehabilitation of geriatric fallers.

24 persons aged 85.5 hospitalized in geriatric wards for a fall during the last 6 months are divided in 2 groups. The group 1 has performed a classical revalidation and the group 2 a rehabilitation with the technics of Vibrosphère™, both during 9 days. The assessment is realized on day 0 and day 10. It consists in a walking test with Locometrix, a postural assessment a time get up and go and the fall efficacity scale. A control group of 20 non faller subjects aged 79.9 is constituted.

In the second population a gain (p<0.05) is obtained for speed of gait, and also a tendancy in a better frequency, length, symmetry and regularity of step. Postural status is better at the end of the 9 days in the grouped using Vibrosphère™. The 2 ways of rehabilitation have similar effects on the gait and balance parameters.

This study confirms efficiency of rehabilitation program for 9 days which is rather short. The improvements show that Vibrosphère™ is a well adapted tool to revalidate geriatric fallers. Its effect on balance should explain the benefit observed in the gait parameters. This technique seems to be complementary with classical rehabilitation in old geriatric hospitalized patients.